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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. rule — a law
  4. cue — for pool
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. wound — an injury
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — a tool
  9. rule — government
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. cue — a hint
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cap — of ice
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. chair — a leader
  23. cap — a hat
  24. wound — an injury

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