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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. pit — a hole
  3. race — a contest
  4. bound — obliged
  5. craft — a skill
  6. board — to get on
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bound — tied together
  9. race — the arms race
  10. craft — boats
  11. present — there
  12. bound — certain
  13. present — a gift
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. suit — clothes
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — in a race
  18. suit — to fit
  19. cue — a hint
  20. race — humankind
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. board — a committee
  23. cue — for pool
  24. present — the time now

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