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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: cue · leaves · roll · stand · stick · rush · kick · rash

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. stand — to bear
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. kick — in football
  5. rush — hurry
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. roll — a cake
  12. cue — a hint
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. rash — hasty
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. cue — for pool
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. rash — a series
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. cue — a signal

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