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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. race — humankind
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. rest — what's left
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. rest — what's left
  11. race — a contest
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. race — the arms race
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — a hint
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. rest — a break
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. branch — a division
  23. sharp — clever
  24. stand — to bear

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