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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 120 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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  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 — a signal
  2. fall — to drop
  3. court — for sport
  4. pitch — completely
  5. fall — the season
  6. stand — to bear
  7. cue — for pool
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. key — the most important part
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. key — for a lock
  14. stem — to come from
  15. key — in music
  16. cue — a hint
  17. mark — a trace
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. court — of a king
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. fall — to drop
  22. court — of law
  23. pitch — a sports field
  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