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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cue — a hint
  5. stand — to bear
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. cold — an illness
  8. cold — not warm
  9. wake — a trail
  10. key — the most important part
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. pop — to visit
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. key — in music
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. pop — soda
  18. cue — a signal
  19. pop — music
  20. key — for a lock
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. cap — a hat
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bowl — a dish

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