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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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. straw — a straw man
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. staff — a stick
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. cue — for pool
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. staff — employees
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mark — a grade
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bulb — for light
  16. staff — employees
  17. cue — a hint
  18. mark — a trace

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