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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. mug — a cup
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. net — after costs
  6. drill — army training
  7. rush — hurry
  8. drill — the tool
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. cue — a hint
  11. net — for catching
  12. net — in sport
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bass — low music
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. cue — for pool
  18. bass — the fish
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — to rob
  21. board — a committee
  22. drill — a practice
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. board — to get on

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