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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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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: lie · coach · cue · clip · safe · pit · dip · pound

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pit — in a race
  3. cue — a signal
  4. pit — a hole
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. clip — for paper
  8. dip — to sink
  9. clip — to cut
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. clip — a video
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. pound — a weight
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. cue — a hint
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. cue — for pool
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. lie — to recline
  24. safe — a strongbox

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