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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 120 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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. fall — to drop
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. track — a path
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. foot — a measure
  12. court — of a king
  13. fall — to drop
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. court — of law
  16. track — to keep track
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. fall — the season
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. court — for sport
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. track — a song
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. nail — for a hammer

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