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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. club — a group
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. club — for dancing
  11. tube — a container
  12. snap — to click
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. foot — a measure
  16. kick — in football
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. club — for golf
  23. pound — a weight
  24. tube — the underground

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