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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. pop — to visit
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. pitch — completely
  5. bound — obliged
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. pop — music
  9. deal — to handle
  10. cue — a hint
  11. rash — hasty
  12. pop — soda
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bear — the animal
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rash — a series
  20. cue — for pool
  21. bound — tied together
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bound — certain

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