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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. hand — help
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. club — for dancing
  11. march — music
  12. club — for golf
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — bread
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. club — a group
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. pass — a permit
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. march — the month
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. march — the month

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