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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 120 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: cue · bay · fan · stand · sharp · cap · object · rash

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. rash — a series
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. object — an aim
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cap — a lid
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. cap — a hat
  12. rash — hasty
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. sharp — clever
  16. cue — a hint
  17. object — to protest
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. cap — of ice
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. stand — to bear
  22. cue — for pool
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. stand — for spectators

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