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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: stick · coach · snap · shower · firm · roll · kid · suit

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. shower — to wash
  5. roll — a list
  6. kid — child
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. shower — rain
  11. roll — a cake
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. suit — to fit
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. suit — clothes
  19. kid — to tease
  20. firm — decided
  21. snap — to click
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. suit — in cards
  24. firm — steady

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