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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.

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: arm · last · date · present · object · cue · saw · game

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. present — the time now
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. saw — the tool
  6. date — the fruit
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. present — a gift
  9. cue — a hint
  10. game — wild animals
  11. object — to protest
  12. last — finally
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. last — to go on
  15. object — an aim
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. object — a thing
  18. last — final
  19. game — a match
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. present — there
  23. cue — a signal
  24. date — on the calendar

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