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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. rock — music
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. chair — a leader
  16. season — of the year
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. rock — a stone
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. deal — to handle
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. straw — a straw man

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