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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: pitcher · stick · hide · bear · cue · bay · mouse · ball

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. cue — a hint
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cue — for pool
  7. ball — a great time
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bear — the animal
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. ball — a dance
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. mouse — the animal

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