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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. mug — a face
  8. pop — to visit
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. date — the fruit
  11. pop — music
  12. tear — to rip
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. tear — from crying
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mug — to rob
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pop — soda
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. tear — from crying
  23. pitch — completely
  24. perch — 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