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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: cue · rest · object · stand · shower · plane · toast · pound

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. cue — for pool
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. rest — a break
  5. object — a thing
  6. stand — to bear
  7. cue — a hint
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. shower — rain
  11. toast — bread
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. pound — a weight
  14. rest — what's left
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. cue — a signal
  17. object — an aim
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. rest — what's left
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. shower — to wash

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