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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. chest — of your body
  3. cue — for pool
  4. track — a path
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stand — to bear
  8. can — a tin
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. rest — a break
  11. wound — an injury
  12. chest — of your body
  13. rest — what's left
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. chest — a box
  17. track — to keep track
  18. wound — an injury
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cue — a signal
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. track — a song
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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