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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: rest · roll · cue · mine · mate · suit · fan · lean

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cue — a signal
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. mine — for digging
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. cue — for pool
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mate — a partner
  11. rest — what's left
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. rest — what's left
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. lean — thin
  16. lean — to bend
  17. roll — a cake
  18. rest — a break
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. roll — a list
  21. suit — to fit
  22. cue — a hint
  23. suit — in cards
  24. mine — an explosive

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