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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: suit · sharp · cue · leaves · firm · bound · toast · cold

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. bound — obliged
  3. suit — clothes
  4. cue — for pool
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. cold — not warm
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bound — tied together
  14. firm — a company
  15. suit — in cards
  16. sharp — clever
  17. cold — an illness
  18. firm — steady
  19. toast — bread
  20. bound — certain
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. firm — decided
  23. cue — a signal
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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