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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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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 · club · stock · coach · bound · file · cue · calf

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. bound — tied together
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. club — for dancing
  5. club — a group
  6. cue — a hint
  7. firm — decided
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stock — goods
  10. file — a document
  11. file — a tool
  12. file — a line of people
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. firm — steady
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — obliged
  17. club — for golf
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. cue — for pool
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. stock — shares
  24. firm — a company

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