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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 shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. lean — thin
  5. lean — to bend
  6. key — for a lock
  7. rule — government
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. key — the most important part
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. deal — to handle
  13. cue — a hint
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. rule — a law
  18. key — in music
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rush — hurry
  21. file — a line of people
  22. file — a tool
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. file — a document

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