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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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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 · jam · roll · cell · club · temple · pit · cue

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cue — for pool
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. club — for dancing
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. roll — a cake
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. pit — in a race
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. pit — a hole
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. cue — a hint
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. club — a group
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. club — for golf
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. cell — a phone
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. roll — a list

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