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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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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. capital — money
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. mate — to breed
  6. cue — for pool
  7. capital — a city
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. swing — to play on
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. mate — a partner
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. swing — in golf
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. mate — a friend
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cue — a signal
  21. stand — to bear
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. swing — music

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