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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. fork — in a road
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. plane — a tool
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. face — to confront
  7. face — to point toward
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. face — part of the head
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. cue — for pool
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. content — happy
  16. mate — to breed
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. content — the amount
  19. march — music
  20. cue — a hint
  21. march — the month
  22. mate — a partner
  23. march — the month
  24. mate — a friend

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