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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. pound — a weight
  4. cue — a hint
  5. prune — to trim
  6. stand — to bear
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. field — a subject
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. charge — electricity
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. charge — a price
  17. field — for sport
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. prune — to trim
  21. field — farmland
  22. cue — a signal
  23. charge — in control
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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