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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. firm — a company
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. cap — of ice
  6. root — of a plant
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. root — of a word
  9. rest — a break
  10. firm — steady
  11. cap — a hat
  12. rest — what's left
  13. cue — a hint
  14. rest — what's left
  15. pass — a permit
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. cue — for pool
  18. root — the cause
  19. firm — decided
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. lie — to recline
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. cap — a lid

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