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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. cue — a signal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. chair — a leader
  6. rush — hurry
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. mate — a friend
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. cue — for pool
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — to breed
  18. lash — a whip stroke

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