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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 120 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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. rest — what's left
  3. mate — a partner
  4. suit — to fit
  5. present — a gift
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. mate — a friend
  8. rest — what's left
  9. season — in sport
  10. cue — a hint
  11. mate — to breed
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a great time
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — for money
  17. season — of the year
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. rest — a break
  20. bank — of a river
  21. cue — for pool
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — there
  24. suit — clothes

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