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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. last — to go on
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. cap — a hat
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. cap — a lid
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. firm — steady
  11. last — final
  12. roll — a list
  13. cue — a hint
  14. last — finally
  15. branch — a division
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. cap — of ice
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. firm — a company
  20. roll — a cake
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. firm — decided
  23. cue — a signal
  24. pitch — completely

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