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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: leaves · mark · temple · rush · cue · toast · firm · game

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. firm — steady
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. firm — a company
  12. toast — bread
  13. cue — a hint
  14. mark — a trace
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. firm — decided
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. cue — a signal
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. game — a match
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. mark — a grade
  23. game — wild animals
  24. temple — a place of worship

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