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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 · hand · face · fan · mark · can · saw · pitcher

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. cue — a hint
  4. hand — help
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. saw — the tool
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. can — a tin
  9. mark — a grade
  10. face — to point toward
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. hand — in cards
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. cue — for pool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. can — to be able to
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. cue — a signal
  21. can — a tin
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to confront

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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