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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stand · cue · present · hand · swing · cell

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. present — the time now
  3. cell — in biology
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. cue — a signal
  6. present — there
  7. cell — a phone
  8. cue — for pool
  9. swing — to play on
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. swing — in golf
  12. cue — a hint
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. hand — in cards
  16. hand — help
  17. present — a gift
  18. stand — to bear

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