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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 116 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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. cue — for pool
  4. fork — in a road
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. wind — moving air
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. cue — a hint
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ball — a dance
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. stem — to come from
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. ball — a great time
  18. wind — moving air
  19. vault — a safe
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. pass — a permit
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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