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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: bound · cue · file · fine · trunk · bore · wave · coach

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bound — tied together
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. cue — a signal
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bore — to drill
  15. file — a line of people
  16. bound — certain
  17. file — a tool
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bound — obliged
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. fine — high quality
  23. file — a document
  24. bore — gave birth

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