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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. mark — a grade
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. mark — a trace
  8. cue — for pool
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. kick — in football
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. bore — to tire
  16. suit — to fit
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. cue — a hint
  21. deal — to handle
  22. bore — to drill
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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