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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  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. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. spring — of water
  8. fork — in a road
  9. pitch — completely
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. mark — a grade
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. spring — a coil
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. rush — hurry
  17. spring — the season
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. suit — in cards
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. coach — a trainer
  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