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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. ball — a dance
  3. can — to be able to
  4. lean — thin
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. can — a tin
  7. press — to push
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. object — an aim
  11. cue — a hint
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. press — a publisher
  15. lean — to bend
  16. cue — for pool
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. ball — a great time
  19. can — a tin
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. object — to protest
  22. object — a thing
  23. press — newspapers
  24. lean — to rest against

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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