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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: stick · stand · bay · cue · fine · ball · mate · dip

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. cue — a signal
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. dip — to sink
  9. mate — to breed
  10. stand — to bear
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. mate — a friend
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. mate — a partner
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. fine — high quality
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. cue — for pool

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