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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  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. present — there
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. present — the time now
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. suit — clothes
  8. court — of law
  9. suit — to fit
  10. rash — hasty
  11. court — for sport
  12. rash — a series
  13. suit — in cards
  14. court — of a king
  15. present — a gift
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — to roll
  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