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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. rest — what's left
  3. suit — in cards
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. cue — a signal
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. suit — clothes
  12. drill — a practice
  13. cue — a hint
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. content — the amount
  16. cue — for pool
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. bear — the animal
  19. suit — to fit
  20. content — happy
  21. rest — what's left
  22. drill — army training
  23. bear — the animal
  24. rest — a break

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