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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 116 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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cue — for pool
  4. mug — a face
  5. clip — a video
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. clip — to cut
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. rest — a break
  10. prune — to trim
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a committee
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. prune — to trim
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. squash — to crush
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mug — to rob
  19. rest — what's left
  20. cue — a signal
  21. clip — for paper
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. squash — the sport
  24. cue — a hint

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