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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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. wave — with your hand
  4. present — the time now
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. present — there
  7. suit — in cards
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. key — the most important part
  10. chair — a leader
  11. present — a gift
  12. object — a thing
  13. suit — clothes
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. object — an aim
  16. suit — to fit
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. band — a music group
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. object — to protest
  21. band — a ring
  22. key — for a lock
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. key — in music

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