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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 ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rest — what's left
  6. cue — a signal
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bear — the animal
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. rest — what's left
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. snap — to click
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. cue — a hint
  19. chip — to eat
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. chip — for betting
  23. rest — a break
  24. leaves — lets stay

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