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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bear — the animal
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. kid — to tease
  6. saw — the tool
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bank — for money
  9. saw — the tool
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pass — a permit
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bank — for money
  18. suit — to fit
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. suit — in cards
  22. bank — of a river
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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