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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. ground — crushed
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. rock — music
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. degree — from a university
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. cue — a hint
  14. ground — a position
  15. rock — a stone
  16. plane — a tool
  17. ground — the earth
  18. cue — for pool
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. degree — temperature
  21. chair — a leader
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. degree — an amount

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