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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. cue — a signal
  3. suit — clothes
  4. stock — goods
  5. wake — a trail
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. drill — the tool
  8. cue — a hint
  9. march — music
  10. stock — shares
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. rule — government
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. march — the month
  16. rule — a law
  17. drill — army training
  18. suit — to fit
  19. cue — for pool
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. drill — a practice
  22. march — the month
  23. suit — in cards
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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