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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. net — after costs
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. net — in sport
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. net — for catching
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. cue — for pool
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. saw — the tool
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. saw — the tool
  17. pass — a permit
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — a hint
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — a part of something

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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