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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 · rule · foot · tear · mate · mug · hide · club

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. club — for golf
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. rule — government
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mate — to breed
  9. foot — a measure
  10. mug — a cup
  11. club — a group
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. tear — to rip
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. tear — from crying
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a face
  21. rule — a law
  22. tear — from crying
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. club — for dancing

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