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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: shower · branch · face · cue · fork · bear · suit · coach

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. face — to confront
  4. fork — in a road
  5. cue — a signal
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. shower — rain
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bear — the animal
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bear — the animal
  14. suit — to fit
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. cue — a hint
  17. face — to point toward
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. branch — a division
  20. face — part of the head
  21. shower — to wash
  22. suit — clothes
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. cue — for pool

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