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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: bay · stand · rock · land · suit · cue · hide · ball

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. ball — a great time
  7. land — a country
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. land — ground
  10. cue — for pool
  11. rock — music
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — to fit
  16. cue — a signal
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. land — to come down
  19. suit — clothes
  20. stand — to bear
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rock — a stone
  23. ball — a dance
  24. cue — a hint

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