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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 · stem · coach · fork · net · suit · bound · bark

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. net — after costs
  3. cue — a signal
  4. cue — a hint
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stem — to come from
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — tied together
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. fork — in a road
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. cue — for pool
  17. bark — to shout
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. net — in sport
  20. suit — to fit
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bound — obliged
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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