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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. row — to paddle
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. can — a tin
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. can — to be able to
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. snap — to click
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. can — a tin
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. row — a line
  15. cue — a hint
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. cue — for pool
  19. fine — all right
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. cue — a signal
  24. calf — a young animal

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