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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bank — for money
  5. suit — in cards
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. sharp — clever
  8. prune — to trim
  9. cue — for pool
  10. snap — to click
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. wound — an injury
  14. prune — to trim
  15. cue — a hint
  16. wound — an injury
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. suit — clothes
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bank — of a river
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. bank — for money

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