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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. staff — a stick
  4. bulb — for light
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. cell — a phone
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. bark — to shout
  11. staff — employees
  12. cell — in biology
  13. court — for sport
  14. staff — employees
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bulb — for light
  17. court — of a king
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. court — of law

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