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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stand · object · rule · sharp · cue · fork · coach · pitcher

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. object — a thing
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. cue — for pool
  7. rule — government
  8. fork — in a road
  9. cue — a signal
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stand — to bear
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. sharp — clever
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. object — an aim
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. rule — a law
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. cue — a hint
  23. sharp — exactly
  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