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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 116 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 · mine · wake · bound · object · stick · last · hide

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. last — finally
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. wake — a trail
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. object — to protest
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. cue — for pool
  11. last — final
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. last — to go on
  14. bound — certain
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — a thing
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. mine — for digging
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bound — obliged
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. cue — a hint
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wake — before a funeral

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