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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 120 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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. cue — a signal
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. cue — a hint
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mate — a partner
  10. march — the month
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. mate — a friend
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. march — the month
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. tube — the underground
  19. pound — a weight
  20. cue — for pool
  21. tube — a container
  22. mark — a trace
  23. march — music
  24. mate — to breed

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