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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.

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: cue · coach · fan · bay · stand · shower · rash · present

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. present — a gift
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. cue — for pool
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. cue — a signal
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. rash — hasty
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rash — a series
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. shower — to wash
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. present — the time now
  19. shower — rain
  20. present — there
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. cue — a hint

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