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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — in a race
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. prune — to trim
  9. cue — for pool
  10. prune — to trim
  11. charge — electricity
  12. bear — the animal
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. pit — a hole
  15. charge — a price
  16. kick — in football
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. shower — to wash
  21. cue — a hint
  22. shower — rain
  23. charge — in control
  24. bear — the animal

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