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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 ________________ took off on time.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — a tool
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. mate — a partner
  6. cue — for pool
  7. firm — a company
  8. mate — to breed
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. march — the month
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. firm — steady
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. mate — a friend
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. march — music
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. lie — to recline
  21. bark — to shout
  22. firm — decided
  23. cue — a hint
  24. march — the month

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