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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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — music
  7. club — for golf
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. bat — the animal
  11. club — for dancing
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. cue — a signal
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pit — a hole
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — a container
  20. cue — a hint
  21. club — a group
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. cue — for pool
  24. pit — in a race

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