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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. swing — to play on
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pop — soda
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. band — a ring
  9. stand — to bear
  10. band — a music group
  11. cue — for pool
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. row — a line
  14. cue — a hint
  15. pop — music
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — to breed
  18. swing — in golf
  19. cue — a signal
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. mate — a friend
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. swing — music
  24. row — to paddle

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