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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. mark — a trace
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. mark — a grade
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. bank — for money
  11. key — for a lock
  12. ball — a great time
  13. object — a thing
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bank — for money
  19. key — in music
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. object — an aim
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. object — to protest
  24. bank — of a river

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