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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · last · object · bore · stand · wave · rash · key

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bore — to tire
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. last — final
  5. key — in music
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. object — to protest
  8. stand — to bear
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. cue — a hint
  11. rash — a series
  12. last — finally
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. rash — hasty
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — for a lock
  18. cue — a signal
  19. object — a thing
  20. last — to go on
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. cue — for pool
  23. bore — to drill
  24. wave — of the sea

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