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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: mug · arm · net · cap · present · rush · cue · deal

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. present — there
  3. cue — for pool
  4. mug — to rob
  5. rush — hurry
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cue — a signal
  8. net — in sport
  9. cue — a hint
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. net — for catching
  12. cap — a lid
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. mug — a face
  15. net — after costs
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. deal — to handle
  18. cap — a hat
  19. present — the time now
  20. mug — a cup
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. present — a gift
  24. rush — a thrill

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