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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. ground — crushed
  3. net — for catching
  4. tube — the underground
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. net — after costs
  7. craft — boats
  8. drill — a practice
  9. drill — the tool
  10. cue — for pool
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. cue — a hint
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. craft — a skill
  15. net — in sport
  16. tube — a container
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. drill — army training
  22. ground — a position
  23. ground — the earth
  24. lash — an eyelash

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