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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 found your soul ________________?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. roll — a cake
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. rock — music
  7. club — a group
  8. roll — a list
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. club — for golf
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. dip — to sink
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. mate — a friend
  18. mate — to breed
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. club — for dancing
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rock — a stone
  24. deal — to handle

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