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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: straw · cue · stand · object · clip · toast · leaves · fork

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. cue — a hint
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. object — an aim
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. object — to protest
  9. cue — for pool
  10. object — a thing
  11. clip — to cut
  12. cue — a signal
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. clip — for paper
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. toast — bread
  20. clip — a video
  21. stand — to bear
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. fork — in a road
  24. straw — dry grass

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