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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. suit — to fit
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. cue — for pool
  5. suit — in cards
  6. can — a tin
  7. spell — letters
  8. face — part of the head
  9. club — for golf
  10. can — to be able to
  11. spell — a short time
  12. cue — a signal
  13. face — to point toward
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. fall — to drop
  16. face — to confront
  17. can — a tin
  18. fall — to drop
  19. club — for dancing
  20. spell — magic
  21. cue — a hint
  22. fall — the season
  23. suit — clothes
  24. club — a group

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