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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pitcher · cue · rest · mug · lie · ball

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. mug — a face
  3. ball — a great time
  4. lie — to recline
  5. rest — a break
  6. cue — for pool
  7. ball — a dance
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. rest — what's left
  10. cue — a signal
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. rest — what's left
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mug — to rob

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