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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 116 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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. board — a committee
  5. rest — a break
  6. branch — a division
  7. mark — a grade
  8. cue — for pool
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. tear — to rip
  11. firm — a company
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. tear — from crying
  15. board — to get on
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rest — what's left
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. rest — what's left
  20. cue — a hint
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. tear — from crying
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — steady

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