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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. spring — the season
  4. deal — to handle
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. present — the time now
  9. spring — a coil
  10. spring — of water
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. present — a gift
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. ball — a great time
  17. toast — bread
  18. ball — a dance
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. rest — what's left

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