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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 120 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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. mark — a grade
  3. suit — in cards
  4. track — a path
  5. net — for catching
  6. mark — a trace
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. net — after costs
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. track — a song
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. track — to keep track
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. suit — to fit
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. net — in sport
  18. suit — clothes

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