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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. content — the amount
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. cue — a hint
  6. content — happy
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. cue — for pool
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bulb — for light
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. key — the most important part
  16. sharp — clever
  17. key — in music
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. bulb — for light
  20. cell — a phone
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. key — for a lock
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cell — in biology

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