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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 valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. object — a thing
  3. object — to protest
  4. firm — decided
  5. march — the month
  6. march — music
  7. object — an aim
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. cue — for pool
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. ground — crushed
  13. rest — what's left
  14. ground — the earth
  15. rest — a break
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. march — the month
  18. cue — a hint
  19. ground — a position
  20. sharp — clever
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — steady
  23. wake — a trail
  24. rest — what's left

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