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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. bulb — for light
  4. court — of a king
  5. kid — child
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. bulb — for light
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. court — of law
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. deal — to handle
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. court — for sport
  20. kid — to tease
  21. snap — to click
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. dip — a sauce

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