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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 120 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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. content — happy
  4. ball — a great time
  5. content — the amount
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. prune — to trim
  11. suit — in cards
  12. ball — a dance
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. pass — a permit
  15. suit — to fit
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. prune — to trim
  20. mine — for digging
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. suit — clothes
  24. pass — to succeed

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