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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 116 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 had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. kid — child
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. firm — a company
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. shower — rain
  7. stock — shares
  8. firm — decided
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. kid — to tease
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. cue — a hint
  15. key — in music
  16. shower — to wash
  17. key — the most important part
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. key — for a lock
  21. cue — for pool
  22. stock — goods
  23. firm — steady
  24. mouse — the animal

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