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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: cue · march · stick · season · tear · bay · mate · dip

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. mate — to breed
  4. march — music
  5. cue — a signal
  6. season — in sport
  7. march — the month
  8. march — the month
  9. tear — from crying
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. tear — to rip
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. tear — from crying
  14. cue — a hint
  15. dip — to sink
  16. season — of the year
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. mate — a partner
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. mate — a friend
  24. dip — a sauce

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