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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.

Make a worksheet

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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. lie — to recline
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. can — a tin
  6. court — of law
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. rest — what's left
  10. court — for sport
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. can — to be able to
  15. can — a tin
  16. court — of a king
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rest — a break
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mine — for digging
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. leaves — lets stay

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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