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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. court — for sport
  6. press — newspapers
  7. press — to push
  8. cue — a signal
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. last — final
  12. dip — to sink
  13. court — of a king
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. cue — for pool
  16. last — finally
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. press — a publisher
  19. last — to go on
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bound — obliged
  22. cue — a hint
  23. court — of law
  24. bound — certain

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