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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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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bat — the animal
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. fine — high quality
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. fine — all right
  15. cue — a hint
  16. mark — a grade
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. cue — for pool
  22. dip — to sink
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. bear — the animal

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