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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. rest — what's left
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. rest — what's left
  7. cap — a hat
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — to fit
  11. plane — a tool
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. cap — of ice
  15. suit — in cards
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rest — a break
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. cap — a lid
  22. sharp — clever
  23. rush — hurry
  24. bowl — a dish

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