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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. firm — decided
  3. degree — an amount
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. cue — a hint
  8. firm — a company
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. degree — from a university
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. stem — to come from
  16. squash — the sport
  17. cue — for pool
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — all right
  20. degree — temperature
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. squash — to crush
  24. firm — steady

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