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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. mate — to breed
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fine — all right
  5. last — to go on
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bulb — for light
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. fine — high quality
  10. mate — a friend
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. snap — to click
  15. last — finally
  16. last — final
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. craft — boats
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. craft — a skill
  21. dip — to sink
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. mate — a partner
  24. coach — a trainer

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