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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. cue — for pool
  8. perch — the fish
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. sharp — clever
  11. bass — the fish
  12. hand — help
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. suit — clothes
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bass — low music
  19. hand — in cards
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — to fit
  22. mark — a trace
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. sharp — exactly

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