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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. present — the time now
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. march — music
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. march — the month
  11. present — there
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. present — a gift
  14. march — the month
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. vault — a safe
  22. mark — a grade
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bowl — to roll

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