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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. season — in sport
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — to trim
  9. season — of the year
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bass — low music
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. club — for dancing
  18. dip — to sink
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. club — for golf
  22. rest — a break
  23. club — a group
  24. bass — the fish

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