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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: foot · pass · wake · rest · kick · march · cue · straw

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. march — the month
  3. kick — in football
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. march — music
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. rest — what's left
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. foot — a measure
  17. cue — a signal
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. rest — what's left
  20. cue — a hint
  21. pass — a permit
  22. rest — a break
  23. march — the month
  24. cue — for pool

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