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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. cue — a signal
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. rest — what's left
  5. row — to paddle
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — in cards
  9. row — a line
  10. rest — what's left
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. cue — for pool
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. firm — decided
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. shower — rain
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. rest — a break
  23. firm — steady
  24. shower — to wash

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