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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bark — to shout
  3. cue — a signal
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — to bear
  8. cue — for pool
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. mark — a grade
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. track — a path
  15. track — to keep track
  16. dip — to sink
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. track — a song
  20. cue — a hint
  21. mark — a trace
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. date — the fruit
  24. mark — to pay attention

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