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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. cue — for pool
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. track — a song
  7. content — the amount
  8. content — happy
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — music
  11. cue — a hint
  12. track — a path
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. track — to keep track
  15. wake — a trail
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rock — a stone
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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