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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. cue — for pool
  4. craft — a skill
  5. rest — what's left
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. last — to go on
  8. bear — the animal
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bear — the animal
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. cue — a hint
  13. last — final
  14. rest — what's left
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — obliged
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. squash — to crush
  20. craft — boats
  21. bound — tied together
  22. squash — the sport
  23. rest — a break
  24. last — finally

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