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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: mug · last · deal · coach · bat · cue · bear · rule

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. mug — to rob
  3. rule — government
  4. deal — to handle
  5. cue — for pool
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bear — the animal
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. cue — a hint
  10. last — final
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. mug — a cup
  15. last — finally
  16. last — to go on
  17. rule — a law
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. mug — a face
  21. bat — the animal
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. cue — a signal

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