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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. cue — for pool
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. key — in music
  7. bank — for money
  8. prune — to trim
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. present — a gift
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. present — the time now
  14. cue — a hint
  15. prune — to trim
  16. stand — to bear
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bank — of a river
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bank — for money
  23. key — the most important part
  24. present — there

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