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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. dip — to sink
  6. cue — for pool
  7. race — a contest
  8. march — music
  9. march — the month
  10. plane — a tool
  11. race — humankind
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. march — the month
  15. mark — a trace
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. race — the arms race
  21. cue — a hint
  22. mark — a grade
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. safe — out of danger

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