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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 120 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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. craft — a skill
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cue — a hint
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pass — a permit
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. cue — for pool
  9. key — the most important part
  10. press — a publisher
  11. key — in music
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bound — certain
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. key — for a lock
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bound — tied together
  18. press — newspapers
  19. craft — boats
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. cap — of ice
  22. cap — a hat
  23. bound — obliged
  24. press — to push

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