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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — for pool
  4. suit — to fit
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. capital — a city
  10. capital — money
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. cue — a signal
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. suit — clothes
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. deal — to handle
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. pound — a weight
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. suit — in cards
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. branch — a division

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