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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: sharp · cell · firm · fall · bank · mouse · pound · cue

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. cue — for pool
  3. bank — for money
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. cue — a hint
  6. pound — a weight
  7. fall — to drop
  8. cell — a phone
  9. fall — the season
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cell — in biology
  12. firm — steady
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. firm — a company
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bank — for money
  17. sharp — clever
  18. bank — of a river
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. firm — decided
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. fall — to drop
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. sharp — with an edge

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