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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: scale · lie · hide · trunk · mark · cue · coach · firm

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. firm — steady
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. firm — decided
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. lie — to recline
  10. scale — in music
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mark — a trace
  13. cue — a hint
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. scale — size or range
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. mark — a grade
  18. cue — a signal
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. cue — for pool
  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