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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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Word bank
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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. can — to be able to
  4. tube — a container
  5. scale — in music
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — a tin
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. game — a match
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. game — wild animals
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bound — obliged
  16. mug — to rob
  17. bound — certain
  18. scale — size or range
  19. bound — tied together
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. tube — the underground
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mug — a face

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