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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 120 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. stand — to bear
  3. chest — a box
  4. can — to be able to
  5. cue — a signal
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. can — a tin
  8. cue — a hint
  9. chest — of your body
  10. firm — a company
  11. cue — for pool
  12. firm — steady
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. firm — decided
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wake — a trail
  18. chest — of your body

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