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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. branch — a division
  5. staff — employees
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. cue — a hint
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cue — for pool
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. staff — a stick
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. staff — employees

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