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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  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. hand — part of the body
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. suit — in cards
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. can — a tin
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. suit — clothes
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. foot — a measure
  11. can — a tin
  12. suit — to fit
  13. hand — help
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. cue — a signal
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. can — to be able to
  20. hand — in cards
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  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