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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. key — in music
  3. cue — a hint
  4. firm — steady
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bat — the animal
  13. mark — a trace
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. cue — a signal
  16. kick — in football
  17. key — for a lock
  18. wake — a trail
  19. cue — for pool
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. firm — decided
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. firm — a company

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