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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. lean — to bend
  3. content — the amount
  4. suit — clothes
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. swing — in golf
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lean — thin
  11. cue — for pool
  12. swing — to play on
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. suit — to fit
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. suit — in cards
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. swing — music
  23. content — happy
  24. cue — a hint

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