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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: row · game · craft · staff · firm · stand · cue · racket

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. firm — a company
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. staff — employees
  6. row — a line
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. game — a match
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. staff — employees
  11. game — wild animals
  12. stand — to bear
  13. firm — decided
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. firm — steady
  16. staff — a stick
  17. craft — a skill
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. row — to paddle
  21. cue — for pool
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. craft — boats
  24. cue — a signal

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