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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. ground — crushed
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. ground — a position
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mug — a face
  8. fine — high quality
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. suit — to fit
  14. band — a ring
  15. mug — a cup
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. mug — to rob
  20. ground — the earth
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. band — a music group
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — all right

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