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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cap — a lid
  5. suit — in cards
  6. cap — of ice
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. mine — for digging
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. cue — a hint
  11. suit — clothes
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. pound — a weight
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. cell — in biology
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. cap — a hat
  24. cell — a phone

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