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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 120 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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. mug — a cup
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. cap — a lid
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. cap — a hat
  10. bear — the animal
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pound — a weight
  14. mug — a face
  15. cap — of ice
  16. mug — to rob
  17. sharp — clever
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bear — the animal

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