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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 124 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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. cue — for pool
  3. shower — rain
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. cue — a hint
  8. plane — a tool
  9. root — of a plant
  10. pop — soda
  11. race — humankind
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. race — a contest
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. root — of a word
  17. pop — to visit
  18. root — the cause
  19. shower — to wash
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. race — the arms race
  22. pop — music
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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