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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pop — to visit
  3. spring — the season
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. spring — of water
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pop — music
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pop — soda
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. can — a tin
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. band — a ring
  19. spring — a coil
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. band — a music group

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