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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cap — a hat
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. cap — a lid
  10. pit — a hole
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. prune — to trim
  14. fork — in a road
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. pit — in a race
  19. rash — hasty
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. fork — a garden tool

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