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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. tube — a container
  3. can — a tin
  4. march — music
  5. can — a tin
  6. suit — clothes
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. cue — for pool
  9. tube — the underground
  10. march — the month
  11. cue — a hint
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — in cards
  15. stand — to bear
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. deal — to handle
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. wound — an injury
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. can — to be able to
  23. wound — an injury
  24. march — the month

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