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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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. file — a line of people
  5. fine — high quality
  6. clip — for paper
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mate — a partner
  9. suit — to fit
  10. cue — a hint
  11. suit — in cards
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. pit — in a race
  14. fine — all right
  15. clip — to cut
  16. pit — a hole
  17. mate — a friend
  18. file — a tool
  19. cue — a signal
  20. clip — a video
  21. file — a document
  22. mate — to breed
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. suit — clothes

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