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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
468
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: cue · chair · track · hide · rash · mine · shower · arm

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. shower — rain
  6. track — to keep track
  7. shower — to wash
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — a hint
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. track — a song
  13. rash — hasty
  14. chair — a leader
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. mine — for digging
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. track — a path
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. cue — for pool
  24. arm — a part of something

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