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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. spell — a short time
  5. spell — magic
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. cue — a signal
  10. present — a gift
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a hint
  14. present — the time now
  15. present — there
  16. hand — in cards
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. prune — to trim
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to sink
  21. prune — to trim
  22. hand — help
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. spell — letters

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