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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. spell — a short time
  4. firm — steady
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. foot — a measure
  7. court — for sport
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. firm — decided
  11. spell — letters
  12. net — after costs
  13. court — of law
  14. chest — a box
  15. firm — a company
  16. spell — magic
  17. net — for catching
  18. cue — for pool
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. court — of a king
  21. chest — of your body
  22. net — in sport
  23. cue — a hint
  24. chest — of your body

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