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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 116 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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bound — tied together
  5. court — of a king
  6. bound — certain
  7. cue — for pool
  8. firm — a company
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. spell — letters
  11. firm — steady
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. spell — a short time
  14. firm — decided
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. cue — a hint
  17. spell — magic
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. court — for sport
  20. cell — a phone
  21. cell — in biology
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. court — of law
  24. bound — obliged

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