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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: staff · kick · game · coach · craft · cue · cap · firm

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  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. game — wild animals
  2. cue — a signal
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cue — for pool
  6. firm — a company
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. staff — employees
  10. firm — decided
  11. staff — a stick
  12. cap — a hat
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. staff — employees
  15. game — a match
  16. kick — in football
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. craft — boats
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cap — a lid
  23. firm — steady
  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