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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 120 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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. capital — money
  4. key — the most important part
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. capital — a city
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. cue — a hint
  9. stand — to bear
  10. key — for a lock
  11. pop — music
  12. pop — to visit
  13. key — in music
  14. cue — for pool
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. rule — government
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. rule — a law
  21. perch — the fish
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. pop — soda

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