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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. mark — a grade
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — clothes
  5. rule — a law
  6. suit — in cards
  7. present — there
  8. present — a gift
  9. pop — to visit
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. pop — music
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cold — an illness
  17. rule — government
  18. cue — a signal
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. present — the time now
  21. pop — soda
  22. cold — not warm
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. mark — a trace

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