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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: spell · coach · cue · lie · cap · saw · pop · bass

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. cue — a signal
  3. spell — magic
  4. cap — of ice
  5. spell — letters
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. cue — for pool
  9. saw — the tool
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pop — soda
  12. cap — a lid
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. lie — to recline
  16. cue — a hint
  17. pop — music
  18. spell — a short time
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. cap — a hat
  22. bass — low music
  23. bass — the fish
  24. pop — to visit

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