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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. capital — money
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. present — there
  8. present — a gift
  9. capital — a city
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. tube — a container
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. object — a thing
  15. bore — to drill
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a cup
  18. present — the time now
  19. mug — a face
  20. tube — the underground
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — an aim
  24. bowl — a football final

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