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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: wake · cap · wind · stand · root · object · fine · cue

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. root — of a plant
  6. cue — for pool
  7. root — the cause
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. cap — a hat
  10. fine — all right
  11. object — to protest
  12. wind — moving air
  13. cap — a lid
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. root — of a word
  17. cap — of ice
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. wind — moving air
  20. object — an aim
  21. object — a thing
  22. stand — to bear
  23. fine — high quality
  24. cue — a hint

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