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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. shower — rain
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. bound — tied together
  9. land — ground
  10. mug — a face
  11. vault — a safe
  12. bound — obliged
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. bound — certain
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. land — a country
  17. toast — bread
  18. shower — to wash
  19. land — to come down
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. mug — a cup
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cue — a hint
  24. mug — to rob

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