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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. squash — the sport
  3. mug — to rob
  4. root — the cause
  5. cell — a phone
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. cell — in biology
  8. mug — a cup
  9. cue — for pool
  10. root — of a word
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. cue — a hint
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. root — of a plant
  15. squash — to crush
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. mug — a face
  22. rule — government
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. rule — a law

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