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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'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. cue — a hint
  3. bear — the animal
  4. tube — the underground
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. mate — a friend
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bear — the animal
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. tube — a container
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mate — to breed
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. toast — bread
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. fan — a supporter

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