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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. cue — for pool
  3. firm — decided
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. firm — steady
  8. rock — a stone
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. cue — a signal
  11. mark — a trace
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mark — a grade
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. firm — a company
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wake — a trail
  21. rock — music
  22. chair — a leader
  23. cue — a hint
  24. lie — to recline

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