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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. bank — for money
  3. charge — in control
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. cue — a hint
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. spring — a coil
  8. vault — a safe
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. rush — hurry
  12. charge — a price
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. cue — for pool
  15. spring — of water
  16. squash — to crush
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bank — of a river
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. spring — the season
  23. squash — the sport
  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