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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. staff — employees
  3. land — a country
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. kid — to tease
  7. land — to come down
  8. staff — a stick
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. kid — child
  11. cue — for pool
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. suit — in cards
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. suit — clothes
  19. staff — employees
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. suit — to fit
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. land — ground
  24. cue — a hint

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