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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. foot — a measure
  4. file — a document
  5. stand — to bear
  6. file — a line of people
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. mate — to breed
  10. charge — electricity
  11. file — a tool
  12. charge — in control
  13. mate — a partner
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. charge — a price
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mate — a friend
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. pass — a permit

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