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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. spell — a short time
  4. bound — obliged
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pop — music
  7. spell — letters
  8. rule — government
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. spell — magic
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. mark — a grade
  15. pop — soda
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bound — certain
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. rule — a law
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. mark — a trace

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