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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 120 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. present — the time now
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. present — there
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. cue — a hint
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. mate — a friend
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. mate — to breed
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bat — the animal
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. mate — a partner
  19. present — a gift
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bowl — to roll

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