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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. kid — to tease
  3. kid — child
  4. lean — to bend
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. rock — music
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. rock — a stone
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. cue — a hint
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — clothes
  21. lean — thin
  22. suit — in cards
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. jam — in traffic

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