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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  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. suit — in cards
  2. cue — a signal
  3. spell — a short time
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. spell — letters
  6. race — the arms race
  7. suit — to fit
  8. race — humankind
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. mate — to breed
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cue — a hint
  16. branch — a division
  17. spell — magic
  18. suit — clothes
  19. mate — a partner
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. race — a contest
  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