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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: fan · mouse · suit · nail · band · coach · cue · pitcher

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. cue — a hint
  3. band — a ring
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. band — a music group
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. suit — to fit
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. cue — a signal
  17. suit — in cards
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. cue — for pool
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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