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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.

Words on the sheet
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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. rule — government
  3. mate — a friend
  4. march — the month
  5. rule — a law
  6. suit — clothes
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. spell — magic
  9. dip — to sink
  10. march — the month
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. suit — to fit
  14. march — music
  15. mate — a partner
  16. cue — a hint
  17. suit — in cards
  18. spell — a short time
  19. mate — to breed
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. cue — for pool
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. cue — a signal
  24. coach — a trainer

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