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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 116 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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. dip — to sink
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. fine — all right
  9. squash — to crush
  10. fall — the season
  11. cue — a hint
  12. squash — the sport
  13. fall — to drop
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. cue — for pool
  16. fine — high quality
  17. fall — to drop
  18. leaves — of a tree

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