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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: suit · rush · last · fork · club · row · stand · cue

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. row — to paddle
  3. rush — hurry
  4. last — finally
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stand — to bear
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. suit — in cards
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. club — for dancing
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. last — final
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. club — for golf
  15. suit — to fit
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cue — a signal
  19. last — to go on
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. club — a group
  23. row — a line
  24. suit — clothes

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