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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 120 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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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. rest — a break
  4. key — in music
  5. club — a group
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. club — for dancing
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. pop — music
  10. saw — the tool
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. rest — what's left
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. current — happening now
  15. key — the most important part
  16. rest — what's left
  17. club — for golf
  18. current — electric
  19. current — of water
  20. saw — the tool
  21. key — for a lock
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — soda

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