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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'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. cue — for pool
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. cue — a hint
  8. last — final
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stand — to bear
  12. row — a line
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. last — finally
  16. last — to go on
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — thin
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. row — to paddle
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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