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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. season — of the year
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. season — in sport
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. cue — for pool
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. chair — a leader
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. cue — a hint
  17. plane — a tool
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. cap — a lid
  20. cap — a hat
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. cap — of ice

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