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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. spell — magic
  3. cue — a signal
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. club — a group
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. club — for dancing
  9. cue — a hint
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. spell — letters
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. roll — a cake
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. club — for golf
  18. spell — a short time
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. cue — for pool
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. roll — a list
  23. pass — a permit
  24. coach — a trainer

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