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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wound — an injury
  5. press — to push
  6. bass — low music
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. cue — for pool
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. kid — child
  12. kid — to tease
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. cue — a hint
  16. sharp — clever
  17. bass — the fish
  18. rush — hurry
  19. press — newspapers
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. wound — an injury
  24. press — a publisher

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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