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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. cap — of ice
  3. rule — government
  4. cue — for pool
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. root — the cause
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bank — for money
  10. root — of a word
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. rule — a law
  13. suit — clothes
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — letters
  16. root — of a plant
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bank — for money
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — a lid
  21. suit — to fit
  22. spell — a short time
  23. mine — for digging
  24. bank — of a river

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