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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. date — the fruit
  3. rest — what's left
  4. season — in sport
  5. key — for a lock
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. cue — a hint
  8. key — the most important part
  9. rest — what's left
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. cue — for pool
  13. rest — a break
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. key — in music
  17. deal — to handle
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. season — of the year
  21. snap — to click
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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