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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. rest — what's left
  4. object — to protest
  5. wake — a trail
  6. club — for dancing
  7. rest — what's left
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. object — a thing
  10. ball — a dance
  11. stock — goods
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. club — for golf
  16. club — a group
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rest — a break
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. stock — shares
  22. ball — a great time
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. object — an aim

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