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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. ball — a dance
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. ball — a great time
  9. date — the fruit
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. chair — a leader
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. roll — a list
  18. coach — a trainer

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