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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rock — music
  6. rest — what's left
  7. lie — to recline
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bear — the animal
  11. rest — a break
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — to fit
  15. fork — in a road
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pitch — completely
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. rock — a stone
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. suit — in cards

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