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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. race — a contest
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. rest — what's left
  6. object — an aim
  7. race — the arms race
  8. craft — boats
  9. staff — employees
  10. race — humankind
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. object — to protest
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. rest — what's left
  15. cue — a hint
  16. object — a thing
  17. cell — in biology
  18. craft — a skill
  19. cell — a phone
  20. cue — for pool
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — a stick
  24. rest — a break

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