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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. season — in sport
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pop — music
  5. pop — soda
  6. squash — the sport
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rest — what's left
  10. club — for dancing
  11. club — a group
  12. cell — a phone
  13. cell — in biology
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. season — of the year
  16. rest — a break
  17. bear — the animal
  18. rest — what's left
  19. squash — to crush
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. pop — to visit
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. club — for golf

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