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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: key · coach · suit · cell · mark · bear · snap · hide

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  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. mark — to pay attention
  2. suit — in cards
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. mark — a trace
  5. snap — to click
  6. key — in music
  7. mark — a grade
  8. cell — in biology
  9. cell — a phone
  10. key — for a lock
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. suit — to fit
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. key — the most important part
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. bear — to put up with
  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