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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. cap — of ice
  3. firm — steady
  4. present — there
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. firm — a company
  8. kick — in football
  9. cap — a hat
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. firm — decided
  12. squash — to crush
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. cue — for pool
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. present — the time now
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. present — a gift
  19. squash — the sport
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. cue — a hint
  24. squash — the vegetable

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