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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.

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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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. swing — music
  4. bear — the animal
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. pop — music
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. swing — to play on
  12. stem — to come from
  13. swing — in golf
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rush — hurry
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. can — to be able to
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. pop — soda
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. stem — of a plant

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