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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. suit — to fit
  3. march — the month
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. kick — in football
  6. rock — music
  7. march — the month
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. mine — for digging
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. suit — in cards
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. rock — a stone
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. march — music

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