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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. swing — to play on
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. stand — to bear
  8. swing — in golf
  9. cue — for pool
  10. swing — music
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pop — soda
  13. net — for catching
  14. bear — the animal
  15. staff — employees
  16. pop — to visit
  17. net — after costs
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. net — in sport
  20. cue — a hint
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. pop — music
  23. staff — a stick
  24. staff — employees

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com