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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. staff — employees
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cue — a hint
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. staff — employees
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. wound — an injury
  15. staff — a stick
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. toast — bread
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. wound — an injury
  22. march — the month
  23. march — music
  24. march — the month

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