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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: rest · stand · cue · can · ball · rush · date · root

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. cue — a signal
  3. stand — to bear
  4. root — of a plant
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. can — to be able to
  7. can — a tin
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. ball — a dance
  10. date — the fruit
  11. cue — for pool
  12. can — a tin
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. root — the cause
  17. root — of a word
  18. rest — what's left
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. rest — a break
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rush — hurry
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. ball — a great time

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