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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 116 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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. pop — soda
  3. pit — in a race
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pit — a hole
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. pop — to visit
  10. rash — hasty
  11. march — the month
  12. bound — tied together
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pop — music
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. march — music
  17. bound — obliged
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. march — the month
  21. bound — certain
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rush — hurry
  24. mouse — the animal

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