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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: object · key · stand · mate · craft · pit · fall · cue

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. key — in music
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. cue — a signal
  5. key — for a lock
  6. mate — a partner
  7. object — to protest
  8. object — a thing
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. cue — a hint
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. stand — to bear
  13. fall — to drop
  14. craft — a skill
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mate — a friend
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. object — an aim
  19. key — the most important part
  20. pit — a hole
  21. cue — for pool
  22. fall — the season
  23. craft — boats
  24. pit — in a race

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