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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. mark — a trace
  4. court — of a king
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. mark — a grade
  9. court — for sport
  10. rush — hurry
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. court — of law
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a committee
  15. can — a tin
  16. lie — to recline
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. can — a tin
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. board — a flat piece

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