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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. 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. bear — to put up with
  2. field — for sport
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. net — after costs
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. rock — a stone
  8. net — for catching
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pass — a permit
  11. field — a subject
  12. rock — music
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. field — farmland
  16. net — in sport
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. 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