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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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Word bank
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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: cue · land · stand · object · pop · bay

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — a thing
  3. pop — soda
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. land — a country
  9. object — to protest
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. pop — music
  12. land — ground
  13. land — to come down
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cue — for pool
  16. pop — to visit
  17. cue — a signal
  18. stand — for spectators

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