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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. bound — tied together
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bound — certain
  10. rash — a series
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. ball — a great time
  13. season — of the year
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. chip — to eat
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. chip — for betting
  20. season — in sport
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bound — obliged
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — a jug

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