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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 120 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. lean — thin
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fine — all right
  6. cue — a hint
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. mug — a cup
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. bark — to shout
  12. lean — to bend
  13. suit — to fit
  14. mug — to rob
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. cue — for pool
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. tube — the underground
  20. mug — a face
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — high quality
  23. suit — clothes
  24. cue — a signal

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