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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a hint
  3. stand — to bear
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. race — a contest
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. race — humankind
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. cue — a signal
  15. date — the fruit
  16. race — the arms race
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. mark — a grade
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. foot — a measure

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