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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 120 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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  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. rest — a break
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. field — farmland
  6. rest — what's left
  7. track — a path
  8. track — a song
  9. mate — a partner
  10. branch — a division
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. track — to keep track
  13. field — a subject
  14. rest — what's left
  15. mate — to breed
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. field — for sport
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. mate — a friend
  22. cue — for pool
  23. branch — of a bank
  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