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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. club — for dancing
  3. club — a group
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mate — a partner
  6. fall — the season
  7. fall — to drop
  8. cue — for pool
  9. fall — to drop
  10. capital — a city
  11. mate — a friend
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. key — the most important part
  16. club — for golf
  17. cue — a hint
  18. capital — money
  19. key — in music
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mate — to breed
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. key — for a lock

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