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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. suit — clothes
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. hand — in cards
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. cue — for pool
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. date — the fruit
  12. stand — to bear
  13. hand — help
  14. vault — a safe
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. suit — in cards
  18. land — a country
  19. land — to come down
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. cue — a hint
  22. suit — to fit
  23. cue — a signal
  24. stand — on your feet

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