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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 120 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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. court — of law
  3. pop — music
  4. row — to paddle
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bore — to drill
  8. pop — to visit
  9. tube — the underground
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. tube — a container
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. row — a line
  18. pop — soda
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. court — of a king
  21. court — for sport
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — a big deal

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