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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. firm — steady
  5. shower — rain
  6. craft — a skill
  7. land — a country
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. shower — to wash
  10. craft — boats
  11. land — ground
  12. chip — to eat
  13. chip — for betting
  14. firm — decided
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. firm — a company
  20. cue — for pool
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. land — to come down
  24. craft — a handicraft

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