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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. firm — a company
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rock — music
  7. court — of a king
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. firm — decided
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. hand — help
  17. firm — steady
  18. rock — a stone
  19. court — for sport
  20. court — of law
  21. hand — in cards
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bulb — for light

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