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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. ball — a great time
  3. press — newspapers
  4. roll — a list
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — a stick
  8. ball — a dance
  9. roll — a cake
  10. pop — music
  11. cue — a hint
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. wind — moving air
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. pop — soda
  18. kick — in football
  19. wind — moving air
  20. cue — for pool
  21. staff — employees
  22. press — a publisher
  23. press — to push
  24. pop — to visit

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