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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. tear — to rip
  3. wake — a trail
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. can — to be able to
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — from crying
  8. can — a tin
  9. band — a music group
  10. can — a tin
  11. mug — to rob
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. cue — a hint
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. stand — to bear
  17. band — a ring
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. cue — for pool
  23. mug — a face
  24. mug — a cup

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