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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 124 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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. season — in sport
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. staff — a stick
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. pop — to visit
  7. staff — employees
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a great time
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. rush — hurry
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. pop — soda
  17. wake — a trail
  18. pop — music
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. season — of the year
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. staff — employees
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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