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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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. suit — in cards
  4. pop — to visit
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mate — a partner
  8. pop — music
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rest — what's left
  11. cue — a hint
  12. suit — clothes
  13. rest — a break
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. wind — moving air
  16. rest — what's left
  17. wind — moving air
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a friend
  20. pop — soda
  21. suit — to fit
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. ruler — for measuring

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