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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 120 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. row — a line
  6. foot — a measure
  7. pit — in a race
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. swing — in golf
  12. row — to paddle
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. swing — music
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pit — a hole
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. swing — to play on
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. lie — to recline
  24. racket — for tennis

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