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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. rule — government
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. cue — for pool
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. scale — size or range
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — a trace
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. cue — a signal
  21. scale — in music
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rule — a law
  24. plane — a tool

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