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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bank — of a river
  4. cold — an illness
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. last — finally
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mate — a friend
  13. dip — to sink
  14. bank — for money
  15. cold — not warm
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. cue — for pool
  18. mate — to breed
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cue — a hint
  21. bank — for money
  22. last — to go on
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. last — final

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