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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. cue — a signal
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bass — the fish
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. bass — low music
  7. suit — clothes
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. land — to come down
  11. land — ground
  12. cue — for pool
  13. rock — music
  14. land — a country
  15. cell — a phone
  16. suit — to fit
  17. cue — a hint
  18. lean — to bend
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. rock — a stone
  21. fork — in a road
  22. lean — thin
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. rock — to move gently

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