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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cue — a signal
  4. mark — a grade
  5. cue — a hint
  6. lie — to recline
  7. spell — a short time
  8. swing — to play on
  9. mark — a trace
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. spell — letters
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. swing — in golf
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. spell — magic
  20. pass — a permit
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. mine — for digging
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. cue — for pool

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