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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. saw — the tool
  3. cue — for pool
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — electricity
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. key — the most important part
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. cue — a hint
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. rest — what's left
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. saw — the tool
  18. key — in music
  19. rest — a break
  20. key — for a lock
  21. craft — boats
  22. charge — in control
  23. rest — what's left
  24. craft — a skill

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