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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: snap · bass · pitch · rule · cue · arm · calf · wake

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. snap — to click
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bass — the fish
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. rule — a law
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. pitch — completely
  11. wake — a trail
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. cue — for pool
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. cue — a hint
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bass — low music
  24. rule — government

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