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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. roll — a cake
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. scale — in music
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. snap — to click
  15. roll — a list
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. cue — a signal
  18. scale — size or range
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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