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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. track — a song
  6. track — to keep track
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. cue — a hint
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. chest — a box
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. track — a path
  16. mate — a friend
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. cue — a signal
  21. chest — of your body
  22. mate — to breed
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. cue — for pool

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