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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. wake — a trail
  3. march — the month
  4. board — a committee
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. march — music
  8. march — the month
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. stock — goods
  13. pass — a permit
  14. cue — a hint
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — in a race
  18. board — to get on
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. cue — for pool
  22. stock — shares
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pit — a hole

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