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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. mug — a cup
  3. tube — a container
  4. track — a song
  5. wake — a trail
  6. tube — the underground
  7. firm — steady
  8. track — to keep track
  9. mug — a face
  10. row — a line
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. track — a path
  14. mug — to rob
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. row — to paddle
  21. firm — a company
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. firm — decided
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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