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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 120 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: firm · cue · game · mate · hide · march · dip · coach

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. game — a match
  3. march — music
  4. game — wild animals
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — a company
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. mate — to breed
  9. cue — a hint
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. firm — decided
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. march — the month
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. cue — a signal
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mate — a partner
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. dip — to sink
  23. cue — for pool
  24. hide — animal skin

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