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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. plane — a tool
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. drill — the tool
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. toast — bread
  7. cue — a hint
  8. drill — army training
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. cue — for pool
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. drill — a practice
  15. snap — to click
  16. pass — a permit
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. toast — a drink to someone

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