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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 120 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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. cue — a signal
  3. sharp — clever
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. suit — in cards
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. swing — to play on
  10. cue — for pool
  11. swing — in golf
  12. capital — money
  13. suit — to fit
  14. cue — a hint
  15. capital — a city
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. suit — clothes

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