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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bound — obliged
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bound — tied together
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bound — certain
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. kid — to tease
  10. can — a tin
  11. game — a match
  12. can — a tin
  13. game — wild animals
  14. mate — a partner
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mate — to breed
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. mate — a friend
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. kid — child

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