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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. cue — for pool
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bank — of a river
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. bear — the animal
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. plane — a tool
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bank — for money
  15. saw — the tool
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. cue — a signal
  18. saw — the tool
  19. cue — a hint
  20. bear — the animal
  21. snap — to click
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bank — for money
  24. sharp — with an edge

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