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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. suit — to fit
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. cue — for pool
  9. suit — clothes
  10. cue — a hint
  11. stand — to bear
  12. degree — from a university
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. march — the month
  15. degree — an amount
  16. suit — in cards
  17. roll — a list
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. march — music
  21. cue — a signal
  22. roll — a cake
  23. degree — temperature
  24. march — the month

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