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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. land — ground
  3. kid — child
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. land — to come down
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. land — a country
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. kid — to tease
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. cue — for pool
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. cue — a hint
  23. chair — a leader
  24. cue — a signal

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