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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
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: wave · field · suit · rash · coach · cue · cabinet · root

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. suit — to fit
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. root — of a plant
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. field — for sport
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. field — farmland
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. field — a subject
  18. rash — hasty
  19. root — the cause
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. root — of a word
  22. suit — clothes
  23. suit — in cards
  24. rash — a series

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