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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: coach · suit · cell · cap · content · fine · file · firm

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. firm — a company
  3. file — a line of people
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. fine — all right
  12. suit — clothes
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. cell — a phone
  15. firm — steady
  16. cell — in biology
  17. content — the amount
  18. file — a tool
  19. content — happy
  20. cap — a hat
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — high quality
  23. file — a document
  24. firm — decided

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