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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. drill — army training
  3. lean — to bend
  4. mate — a friend
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. mate — a partner
  8. lean — thin
  9. drill — the tool
  10. object — to protest
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. object — an aim
  14. mate — to breed
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a hole
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. drill — a practice
  19. ball — a great time
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. object — a thing
  23. ball — a dance
  24. sharp — clever

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