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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: coach · bay · toast · calf · key · cue

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. key — the most important part
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. key — for a lock
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a hint
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. key — in music
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. toast — bread

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