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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: firm · coach · cue · branch · key · kick · bear · bound

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — a signal
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bear — the animal
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. key — in music
  9. branch — a division
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bear — the animal
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. bound — tied together
  16. cue — for pool
  17. firm — steady
  18. kick — in football
  19. firm — a company
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bound — certain
  23. firm — decided
  24. bound — obliged

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