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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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. bear — the animal
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. roll — a cake
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. roll — a list
  15. cue — for pool
  16. date — the fruit
  17. cue — a signal
  18. kid — to tease
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. kid — child
  21. stand — to bear
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. date — on the calendar

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