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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. court — for sport
  8. bulb — for light
  9. court — of law
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. rule — government
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. last — finally
  16. court — of a king
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. last — to go on
  23. last — final
  24. rule — a law

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