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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
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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: key · firm · mine · stand · wake · arm · cue · net

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. net — for catching
  3. firm — decided
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. key — the most important part
  6. net — in sport
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — a hint
  10. stand — to bear
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. firm — a company
  13. mine — for digging
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. firm — steady
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. key — in music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. cue — for pool
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wake — a trail

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