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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. content — happy
  5. suit — in cards
  6. tube — the underground
  7. suit — clothes
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. suit — to fit
  11. tube — a container
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. cue — a hint
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bulb — for light
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bulb — for light
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. cue — for pool
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. content — the amount

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