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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 116 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: sharp · bass · squash · cue · firm · lie · ground · stand

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. firm — a company
  4. cue — a signal
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. stand — to bear
  7. squash — the sport
  8. firm — steady
  9. bass — the fish
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. sharp — clever
  12. ground — a position
  13. squash — to crush
  14. firm — decided
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. ground — the earth
  17. cue — a hint
  18. ground — crushed
  19. bass — low music
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. lie — to recline
  24. sharp — exactly

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