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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. roll — a cake
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. last — to go on
  5. ball — a great time
  6. rush — hurry
  7. mark — a trace
  8. last — final
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. cue — for pool
  12. last — finally
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. cue — a signal
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. roll — a list
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. fine — all right
  19. fine — high quality
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mark — a grade
  23. ball — a dance
  24. cue — a hint

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