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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 116 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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  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. cue — for pool
  2. can — a tin
  3. rash — hasty
  4. degree — from a university
  5. rash — a series
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. tear — from crying
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. cue — a hint
  10. tear — to rip
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. cue — a signal
  13. can — a tin
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. degree — an amount
  19. kick — in football
  20. stand — to bear
  21. can — to be able to
  22. tear — from crying
  23. degree — temperature
  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