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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. date — the fruit
  5. bark — to shout
  6. rest — a break
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. rest — what's left
  9. cap — a lid
  10. rest — what's left
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. stand — to bear
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. rash — a series
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. cap — a hat
  22. rash — hasty
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. jam — a tight spot

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