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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 116 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. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. ground — a position
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. court — for sport
  5. court — of law
  6. mark — a grade
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. scale — size or range
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. ground — the earth
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mark — a trace
  16. pit — a hole
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. scale — in music
  20. ground — crushed
  21. lie — to recline
  22. court — of a king
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pit — in a race

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