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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. march — music
  3. cue — a hint
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. kid — to tease
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. march — the month
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. rock — music
  12. toast — bread
  13. cue — for pool
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. march — the month
  17. kid — child
  18. cue — a signal

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