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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. firm — decided
  3. cue — a hint
  4. firm — steady
  5. cold — not warm
  6. cue — a signal
  7. firm — a company
  8. prune — to trim
  9. fine — all right
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — to fit
  14. cold — an illness
  15. saw — the tool
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. cap — of ice
  18. fine — high quality
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cap — a hat
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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