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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · cap · wake · degree · coach · mouse · cue · drill

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. cap — a lid
  4. drill — the tool
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. spell — a short time
  7. drill — army training
  8. wake — a trail
  9. spell — magic
  10. cue — a signal
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. drill — a practice
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cue — for pool
  16. degree — temperature
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. degree — from a university
  21. degree — an amount
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cue — a hint
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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