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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. cue — a hint
  6. mark — a grade
  7. content — the amount
  8. race — humankind
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. race — the arms race
  11. cue — for pool
  12. content — happy
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — high quality
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. plane — a tool
  19. race — a contest
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. mark — to pay attention

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