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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. club — a group
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. club — for golf
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. club — for dancing
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. wind — moving air
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. plane — a tool
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. press — to push
  21. press — a publisher
  22. press — newspapers
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. bark — to shout

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