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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stand · stick · mark · nail · march · hand · capital · cue

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. cue — a signal
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. hand — help
  6. march — music
  7. capital — money
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. hand — in cards
  10. stand — to bear
  11. march — the month
  12. cue — a hint
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. mark — a trace
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. march — the month
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. capital — a city
  22. cue — for pool
  23. mark — a grade
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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