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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. present — the time now
  4. present — there
  5. fine — high quality
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. march — the month
  8. ground — a position
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. toast — bread
  12. march — the month
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cue — a hint
  15. march — music
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. ground — the earth
  18. present — a gift
  19. foot — a measure
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cue — for pool
  22. ground — crushed
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. fine — all right

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