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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. mate — a partner
  3. vault — a safe
  4. rule — a law
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. mate — a friend
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. lean — thin
  12. bank — for money
  13. rule — government
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. scale — in music
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. mate — to breed
  21. lean — to bend
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. sharp — clever
  24. scale — size or range

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