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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. foot — a measure
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. season — of the year
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. season — in sport
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bark — to shout

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