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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 116 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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. pop — music
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bore — to drill
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. wake — a trail
  9. pop — to visit
  10. sharp — clever
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. pop — soda
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. cue — a hint
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. stand — to bear
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. cue — a signal
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. cue — for pool
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. sharp — with an edge

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