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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: deal · bay · mark · mate · date · cue · stick · wake

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. mate — a friend
  5. mark — a trace
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cue — a signal
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mate — to breed
  15. date — the fruit
  16. deal — to handle
  17. wake — a trail
  18. mark — a grade
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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