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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. foot — a measure
  3. cap — of ice
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. object — a thing
  7. toast — bread
  8. object — to protest
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. chip — for betting
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. chip — to eat
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. cap — a lid
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. cap — a hat
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. object — an aim

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