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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. spell — a short time
  4. bank — of a river
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. cue — a hint
  7. spell — letters
  8. rash — hasty
  9. spell — magic
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. board — a committee
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. mine — for digging
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. bank — for money
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. bank — for money
  20. pitch — completely
  21. rash — a series
  22. cue — a signal
  23. board — to get on
  24. mine — belonging to me

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