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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. capital — money
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bound — obliged
  7. fine — high quality
  8. pound — a weight
  9. bound — certain
  10. plane — a tool
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. capital — a city
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. stock — goods
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. stock — shares
  20. bound — tied together
  21. cue — a hint
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fine — all right
  24. pound — to hit hard

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