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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — a signal
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. content — happy
  6. staff — employees
  7. net — in sport
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — music
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. content — the amount
  13. staff — employees
  14. rock — a stone
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. cue — for pool
  18. staff — a stick
  19. net — for catching
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. net — after costs
  22. toast — bread
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. content — videos and posts

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