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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. suit — clothes
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. suit — to fit
  5. plane — a tool
  6. snap — to click
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — there
  9. pop — soda
  10. saw — the tool
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. cue — for pool
  14. present — the time now
  15. pop — to visit
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. saw — the tool
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. pop — music
  22. cue — a signal
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. suit — in cards

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