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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: drill · stand · cue · race · track · hide · jam · wake

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  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. cue — a hint
  2. drill — a practice
  3. cue — a signal
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. race — humankind
  7. stand — to bear
  8. wake — a trail
  9. race — a contest
  10. cue — for pool
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. drill — army training
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. track — a song
  16. track — to keep track
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. track — a path
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. drill — the tool
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. race — the arms race
  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