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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. rock — a stone
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rush — hurry
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. band — a music group
  10. rock — music
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. band — a ring
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. stem — to come from
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. dip — to sink

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