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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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. tube — the underground
  4. mate — a partner
  5. saw — the tool
  6. clip — a video
  7. tube — a container
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pop — to visit
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. clip — to cut
  14. saw — the tool
  15. clip — for paper
  16. cue — for pool
  17. mate — a friend
  18. cue — a hint
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. mate — to breed
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — soda

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