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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 116 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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Word bank
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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. spell — letters
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. cue — a signal
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. cue — a hint
  8. spell — a short time
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. ball — a great time
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. spell — magic
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. lie — to recline
  18. chair — a leader
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. cue — for pool
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. wave — with your hand

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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