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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  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. cue — a signal
  2. cue — for pool
  3. pound — a weight
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. suit — in cards
  6. drill — army training
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. suit — clothes
  9. cue — a hint
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. drill — a practice
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. board — a committee
  16. drill — the tool
  17. mark — a grade
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. suit — to fit
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. pass — a permit
  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