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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. ground — the earth
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. ground — crushed
  17. can — a tin
  18. ground — a position
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. staff — employees
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. staff — a stick
  24. staff — employees

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