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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. firm — a company
  3. bound — tied together
  4. firm — decided
  5. mate — a partner
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bound — certain
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. mate — to breed
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. club — a group
  12. club — for golf
  13. bound — obliged
  14. club — for dancing
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. firm — steady
  20. kick — in football
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. mate — a friend

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