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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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. swing — to play on
  3. cue — a hint
  4. pound — a weight
  5. cue — for pool
  6. craft — a skill
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. key — in music
  9. craft — boats
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. key — the most important part
  12. cue — a signal
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. swing — in golf
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. key — for a lock
  19. swing — music
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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