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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 116 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: firm · pass · stick · cue · last · trunk · snap · mug

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. cue — a hint
  3. last — final
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. firm — steady
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. pass — a permit
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. firm — a company
  11. snap — to click
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. last — finally
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. cue — for pool
  17. last — to go on
  18. mug — a cup
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. mug — to rob
  21. cue — a signal
  22. firm — decided
  23. mug — a face
  24. pass — to spend time

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