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

Word bank: date · cue · wind · cell · suit · race

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — in cards
  5. date — the fruit
  6. race — the arms race
  7. wind — moving air
  8. race — humankind
  9. cue — a hint
  10. race — a contest
  11. suit — to fit
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. cell — a phone
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. wind — moving air
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cue — for pool

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