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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. cue — for pool
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. cap — of ice
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bark — to shout
  10. pass — a permit
  11. file — a line of people
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cap — a hat
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cue — a hint
  19. file — a tool
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. file — a document

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