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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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. pitcher — in baseball
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. wound — an injury
  7. spring — of water
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. foot — a measure
  10. pass — a permit
  11. wound — an injury
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. lie — to recline
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. spring — the season
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. spring — a coil
  22. rule — a law
  23. rule — government
  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