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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. cue — a hint
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. staff — employees
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. staff — employees
  8. cue — for pool
  9. date — the fruit
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. pound — a weight
  12. squash — the sport
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. cue — a signal
  19. snap — to click
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. staff — a stick
  23. squash — to crush
  24. pound — to hit hard

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