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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. prune — to trim
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. rule — government
  9. mug — to rob
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. vault — a safe
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pass — a permit
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mug — a face
  21. rule — a law
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mug — a cup

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