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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. mate — a friend
  4. deal — to handle
  5. plane — a tool
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. cue — a hint
  9. mate — to breed
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wind — moving air
  12. cap — of ice
  13. craft — a skill
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. craft — boats
  16. mate — a partner
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. cue — for pool
  21. wind — moving air
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cap — a lid
  24. plane — in geometry

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