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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: sharp · cabinet · coach · lie · content · saw · leaves · cue

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. cue — a hint
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. content — the amount
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. sharp — clever
  12. saw — the tool
  13. cue — a signal
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. lie — to recline
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. saw — the tool
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. cue — for pool

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