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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 settled on a ________________?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. cue — a signal
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a great time
  6. cue — for pool
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. toast — bread
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bound — certain
  11. rest — a break
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. rest — what's left
  14. cue — a hint
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. rest — what's left
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. date — the fruit
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. ball — a dance
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bound — tied together
  24. wound — an injury

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