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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. club — for golf
  5. pit — in a race
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. field — for sport
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. cue — for pool
  10. field — a subject
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. club — a group
  15. present — there
  16. club — for dancing
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pit — a hole
  19. field — farmland
  20. present — the time now
  21. cue — a hint
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. present — a gift
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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