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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. club — a group
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. wound — an injury
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. wound — an injury
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. toast — bread
  12. club — for golf
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. club — for dancing
  15. cue — a hint
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. cue — for pool
  18. straw — dry grass

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