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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.

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: fork · pop · cap · coach · cue · hide · mug · swing

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. cue — a hint
  3. swing — in golf
  4. fork — in a road
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — a face
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. cap — a hat
  10. cap — a lid
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. pop — soda
  15. cue — for pool
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. cue — a signal
  18. pop — to visit
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. swing — music
  21. cap — of ice
  22. swing — to play on
  23. pop — music
  24. mug — to rob

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