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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. wound — an injury
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. sharp — clever
  7. cue — a hint
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. cue — for pool
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. toast — bread
  13. mate — a friend
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. mate — to breed
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. plane — a tool
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. mate — a partner

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