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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. can — a tin
  3. cue — a hint
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. can — to be able to
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. race — the arms race
  8. race — humankind
  9. plane — a tool
  10. swing — music
  11. can — a tin
  12. swing — to play on
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. cue — for pool
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. swing — in golf
  21. fork — in a road
  22. date — the fruit
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. race — a contest

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