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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.

Make a worksheet

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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. game — a match
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. game — wild animals
  14. cue — for pool
  15. snap — to click
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. cue — a hint
  18. ruler — for measuring

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