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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 116 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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. mug — a face
  4. season — of the year
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. dip — to sink
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. drill — the tool
  13. track — to keep track
  14. mug — a cup
  15. season — in sport
  16. mug — to rob
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. drill — a practice
  19. track — a song
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. track — a path
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. trunk — of a tree

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