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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bound — tied together
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. mine — for digging
  11. toast — bread
  12. bound — certain
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. bound — obliged
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. drill — army training
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — the tool
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. saw — the tool
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. saw — the tool
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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