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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. cue — a hint
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. board — to get on
  9. plane — a tool
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. saw — the tool
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. capital — a city
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. cue — for pool
  18. capital — money
  19. saw — the tool
  20. mark — a grade
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. board — a committee
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. mark — a trace

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