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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mate — a partner
  7. file — a tool
  8. mate — a friend
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. squash — the sport
  11. file — a document
  12. cue — a signal
  13. mate — to breed
  14. board — to get on
  15. cue — for pool
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. board — a committee
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. squash — to crush
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. snap — to click
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. file — a line of people
  24. mug — a face

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