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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. dip — to sink
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bass — low music
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. file — a document
  9. press — a publisher
  10. file — a line of people
  11. present — the time now
  12. can — a tin
  13. cue — a hint
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bass — the fish
  16. press — newspapers
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bear — the animal
  20. present — a gift
  21. press — to push
  22. file — a tool
  23. present — there
  24. can — a tin

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