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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. cue — a signal
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. kick — in football
  10. fine — high quality
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. wind — moving air
  13. fine — all right
  14. cue — for pool
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. stem — to come from
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fork — in a road
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cue — a hint

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