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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. mark — a trace
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. fine — high quality
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. squash — to crush
  7. fine — all right
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mark — a grade
  12. cue — a hint
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. squash — the sport
  19. cue — for pool
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. ruler — for measuring

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