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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. present — there
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. fine — all right
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. suit — to fit
  8. shower — rain
  9. shower — to wash
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. suit — in cards
  12. present — the time now
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. present — a gift
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. fine — high quality
  18. rest — what's left
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. rest — a break
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rest — what's left

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