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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 116 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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. tube — a container
  3. capital — a city
  4. tube — the underground
  5. row — to paddle
  6. fine — high quality
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. cue — for pool
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. fine — all right
  11. suit — clothes
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. row — a line
  14. club — for golf
  15. cue — a hint
  16. suit — in cards
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. capital — money
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. club — for dancing
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. suit — to fit
  24. club — a group

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