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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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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: jam · stand · mark · cue · hand · last · craft · pop

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. cue — a hint
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. craft — a skill
  6. mark — a trace
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. mark — a grade
  9. cue — a signal
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. last — finally
  12. craft — boats
  13. cue — for pool
  14. pop — music
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. hand — in cards
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pop — soda
  19. stand — to bear
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. hand — help
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. last — to go on
  24. last — final

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