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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. rest — a break
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. track — a song
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. date — the fruit
  19. track — to keep track
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — what's left
  23. track — a path
  24. cabinet — ministers

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