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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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468
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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. track — to keep track
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. rest — what's left
  12. swing — music
  13. rest — a break
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. track — a song
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. track — a path
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. ball — a great time
  21. swing — to play on
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. swing — in golf
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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