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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'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. stand — to bear
  4. cue — for pool
  5. firm — steady
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. cap — a lid
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. firm — a company
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. cap — of ice
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. firm — decided
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. cap — a hat
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. date — the fruit
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. snap — to click

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