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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — what's left
  3. mark — a trace
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a hint
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cell — a phone
  8. saw — the tool
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. fall — to drop
  11. rest — a break
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. pop — soda
  14. mark — a grade
  15. pop — to visit
  16. ball — a dance
  17. fall — the season
  18. saw — the tool
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. fall — to drop
  21. ball — a great time
  22. pop — music
  23. cell — in biology
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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