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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: board · cue · clip · lie · coach · bear · toast · hide

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. cue — a signal
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. toast — bread
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. cue — for pool
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. board — to get on
  12. clip — for paper
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bear — the animal
  16. clip — to cut
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. lie — to recline
  20. board — a committee
  21. bear — the animal
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. clip — a video

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