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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 116 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: nail · swing · cabinet · dip · cue · bear · ball · coach

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bear — the animal
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. dip — to sink
  8. cue — for pool
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. swing — in golf
  14. ball — a dance
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. swing — music
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. ball — a great time
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. cue — a signal
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. swing — to play on

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