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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. object — an aim
  5. mark — a trace
  6. fall — to drop
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cap — of ice
  10. cap — a hat
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. mark — a grade
  13. object — a thing
  14. fall — to drop
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pitch — completely
  19. object — to protest
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. fall — the season
  24. coach — a trainer

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