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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'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. fall — to drop
  4. track — a song
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. fine — high quality
  7. fall — to drop
  8. firm — a company
  9. track — a path
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cell — in biology
  12. fall — the season
  13. cue — for pool
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — the cause
  16. track — to keep track
  17. saw — the tool
  18. firm — steady
  19. cell — a phone
  20. saw — the tool
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. firm — decided
  23. fine — all right
  24. root — of a word

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