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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. roll — a cake
  3. roll — a list
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. drill — the tool
  6. cue — a signal
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. drill — a practice
  11. stem — to come from
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. cue — for pool
  14. drill — army training
  15. stand — to bear
  16. suit — in cards
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. bark — to shout
  19. suit — clothes
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. suit — to fit
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. stand — for spectators

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