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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. bear — the animal
  4. last — finally
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. stand — to bear
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. court — for sport
  10. object — to protest
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. object — an aim
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. toast — bread
  21. last — final
  22. court — of law
  23. object — a thing
  24. court — of a king

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