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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bound · spell · coach · bear · wax · rash · cue · hide

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. cue — a hint
  6. rash — a series
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — certain
  9. spell — magic
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bound — obliged
  14. cue — for pool
  15. spell — a short time
  16. wax — to grow
  17. spell — letters
  18. bear — the animal
  19. cue — a signal
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rash — hasty

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