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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. pop — soda
  3. toast — bread
  4. club — for dancing
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. pop — to visit
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. pop — music
  9. rash — hasty
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. cue — for pool
  12. pass — a permit
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. roll — a cake
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. club — for golf
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. club — a group
  22. roll — a list
  23. rash — a series
  24. cue — a hint

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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