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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. cue — for pool
  4. firm — steady
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stand — to bear
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. cue — a hint
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. pass — a permit
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. firm — decided
  14. cue — a signal
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. sharp — clever
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. band — a music group
  21. fork — in a road
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. band — a ring
  24. straw — dry grass

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