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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.

Make a worksheet

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: coach · saw · cue · bear · capital · lash · face · racket

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. face — part of the head
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bear — the animal
  6. face — to point toward
  7. cue — a signal
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. capital — a city
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. face — to confront
  18. capital — money
  19. saw — the tool
  20. cue — for pool
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. cue — a hint

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