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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 · stick · cold · stand · safe · cue · nail · lie

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. lie — to recline
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. date — the fruit
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. cue — a hint
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. cue — a signal
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. cold — not warm
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. cold — an illness
  20. cue — for pool
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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