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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. wake — a trail
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. drill — a practice
  5. court — of law
  6. content — the amount
  7. drill — the tool
  8. drill — army training
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. suit — to fit
  11. court — of a king
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. court — for sport
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. suit — clothes
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. suit — in cards
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. content — happy
  24. sharp — clever

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