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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 120 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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. spell — magic
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. spell — letters
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — clothes
  10. cue — a hint
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. branch — a division
  13. suit — in cards
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. spell — a short time
  20. hand — in cards
  21. hand — help
  22. cue — a signal
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. hand — part of the body

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