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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: drill · hide · stick · jam · game · bear · suit · coach

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. drill — the tool
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. suit — clothes
  11. game — wild animals
  12. drill — army training
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. game — a match
  17. suit — in cards
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. bear — the animal
  20. drill — a practice
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bear — the animal
  24. coach — a trainer

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