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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. suit — clothes
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. staff — employees
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bear — the animal
  13. staff — a stick
  14. hand — in cards
  15. toast — bread
  16. bear — the animal
  17. prune — to trim
  18. band — a music group
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. prune — to trim
  21. band — a ring
  22. suit — in cards
  23. staff — employees
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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