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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: cue · coach · track · stick · spell · can · net · clip

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. net — for catching
  5. track — to keep track
  6. can — a tin
  7. spell — a short time
  8. can — to be able to
  9. track — a path
  10. spell — letters
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. spell — magic
  13. can — a tin
  14. track — a song
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. net — in sport
  18. clip — a video
  19. clip — for paper
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. net — after costs
  23. cue — a signal
  24. clip — to cut

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