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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — decided
  4. cue — for pool
  5. mine — for digging
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. firm — a company
  10. cue — a signal
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. field — a subject
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. field — farmland
  18. cue — a hint
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. field — for sport
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. coach — a trainer

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