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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: ground · cue · can · cell · bowl · track · coach · toast

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. ground — the earth
  3. toast — bread
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. cue — a hint
  6. track — a song
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. can — a tin
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. cell — a phone
  12. track — to keep track
  13. can — to be able to
  14. ground — crushed
  15. cue — for pool
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. ground — a position
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cell — in biology
  21. track — a path
  22. can — a tin
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. bowl — to roll

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