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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. pop — music
  4. firm — steady
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. game — wild animals
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — a company
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pop — to visit
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. mug — a face
  17. board — to get on
  18. branch — a division
  19. pop — soda
  20. board — a committee
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. game — a match
  24. mug — to rob

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