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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. cue — a signal
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. stock — shares
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cap — a hat
  10. chest — of your body
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. stock — goods
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. cue — for pool
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. chest — of your body
  22. cap — of ice
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. coach — a trainer

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