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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. cue — a hint
  3. bear — the animal
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. key — for a lock
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. cue — a signal
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. key — the most important part
  17. chair — a leader
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. key — in music
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bear — the animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  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