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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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Word bank
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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. mug — a cup
  3. pop — music
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mate — to breed
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. mug — a face
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. race — a contest
  13. mate — a friend
  14. race — humankind
  15. mate — a partner
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. row — a line
  18. pop — to visit
  19. race — the arms race
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mug — to rob
  22. row — to paddle
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. pop — soda

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