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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: cue · mug · pitcher · dip · track · arm · fork · pop

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. pop — soda
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pop — to visit
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. fork — in a road
  7. mug — to rob
  8. track — a song
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. mug — a cup
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. mug — a face
  15. cue — a signal
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. cue — for pool
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. cue — a hint
  21. dip — to sink
  22. pop — music
  23. track — to keep track
  24. track — a path

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