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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. bear — the animal
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bank — of a river
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. wound — an injury
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a song
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. bear — the animal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — to breed
  18. wake — a trail
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bank — for money
  21. track — a path
  22. bank — for money
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. bear — to put up with

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