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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 116 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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. can — to be able to
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bear — the animal
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — decided
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. court — of law
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. firm — a company
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. court — of a king
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. branch — a division
  20. rock — music
  21. lie — to recline
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. court — for sport

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