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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. cue — a signal
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — to drop
  5. wake — a trail
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. squash — to crush
  9. spell — letters
  10. stand — to bear
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. cue — a hint
  15. spell — a short time
  16. squash — the sport
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. spell — magic
  19. cue — for pool
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — a skill
  22. ball — a great time
  23. fall — the season
  24. craft — boats

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