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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. cue — a signal
  3. last — to go on
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. cue — a hint
  6. charge — a price
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. cell — in biology
  9. pound — a weight
  10. stock — goods
  11. cue — for pool
  12. plane — a tool
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. last — final
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. cell — a phone
  18. last — finally
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. stock — shares
  21. charge — in control
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. charge — electricity
  24. temple — a place of worship

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