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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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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mug — a cup
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. mug — to rob
  6. game — wild animals
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. game — a match
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. pit — a hole
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. rule — a law
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. rule — government
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. pit — in a race
  23. wake — a trail
  24. mug — a face

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