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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: cue · board · spring · object · row · date · last · stand

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. row — to paddle
  3. date — the fruit
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. spring — a coil
  6. object — to protest
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. cue — for pool
  9. object — an aim
  10. cue — a signal
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. spring — of water
  13. row — a line
  14. board — to get on
  15. last — final
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. last — to go on
  18. last — finally
  19. spring — the season
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — to bear
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. board — a committee
  24. cue — a hint

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