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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 124 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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cue — for pool
  4. march — music
  5. row — to paddle
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. march — the month
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ground — the earth
  12. mark — a trace
  13. ground — crushed
  14. rock — a stone
  15. staff — employees
  16. rock — music
  17. mark — a grade
  18. staff — employees
  19. march — the month
  20. staff — a stick
  21. cue — a hint
  22. row — a line
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a round shape

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