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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. march — music
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. cue — a hint
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. race — a contest
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. chip — to eat
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. mark — a trace
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. race — humankind
  13. march — the month
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. mark — a grade
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. chip — for betting
  21. race — the arms race
  22. march — the month
  23. perch — the fish
  24. hide — to keep secret

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