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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. suit — in cards
  3. degree — from a university
  4. cue — a signal
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. suit — to fit
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cue — for pool
  9. stand — to bear
  10. degree — temperature
  11. rule — government
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. degree — an amount
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. rule — a law
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. suit — clothes
  19. plane — a tool
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a skill
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. craft — a handicraft

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