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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. fine — all right
  3. cue — a hint
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bear — the animal
  6. fine — high quality
  7. suit — in cards
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bear — the animal
  12. suit — clothes
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. court — of a king
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. cue — for pool
  20. court — of law
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. court — for sport
  24. pitcher — a jug

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