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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. ball — a great time
  3. cue — a signal
  4. row — to paddle
  5. bank — for money
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. cue — a hint
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bound — tied together
  11. cue — for pool
  12. chest — of your body
  13. bank — of a river
  14. chest — a box
  15. bank — for money
  16. bound — obliged
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. plane — a tool
  19. row — a line
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. ball — a dance
  24. chest — of your body

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