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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. rest — what's left
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. rest — a break
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. suit — to fit
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. land — to come down
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. suit — clothes
  15. mark — a trace
  16. land — a country
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bore — to drill
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. land — ground
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bore — to tire
  24. suit — in cards

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