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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. last — to go on
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bark — to shout
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. can — a tin
  8. last — finally
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. can — a tin
  15. pit — a hole
  16. chair — a leader
  17. saw — the tool
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. can — to be able to
  21. pit — in a race
  22. last — final
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. bark — of a tree

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