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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bore — to drill
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. saw — the tool
  8. game — a match
  9. saw — the tool
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. bore — to tire
  13. game — wild animals
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. court — of a king
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. court — for sport
  21. court — of law
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. bear — the animal

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