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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 124 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: hide · arm · rock · cue · jam · swing

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. rock — music
  3. swing — music
  4. cue — a hint
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. rock — a stone
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. cue — a signal
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. swing — in golf
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. swing — to play on
  18. hide — animal skin

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