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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. march — the month
  3. stem — to come from
  4. mug — to rob
  5. present — the time now
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. march — the month
  11. chair — a leader
  12. fork — in a road
  13. march — music
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. present — there
  20. present — a gift
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. mug — a face
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. coach — a trainer

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