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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: cue · mark · firm · row · pit · pass · rush · fan

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. firm — decided
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. firm — a company
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. mark — a grade
  8. firm — steady
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. row — a line
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pit — a hole
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mark — a trace
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. row — to paddle
  19. pass — a permit
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. rush — hurry
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cue — a hint
  24. pit — in a race

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