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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. court — of a king
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. mate — to breed
  7. staff — employees
  8. court — for sport
  9. mate — a friend
  10. staff — employees
  11. object — to protest
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. mate — a partner
  15. swing — to play on
  16. object — an aim
  17. court — of law
  18. bear — the animal
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. swing — music
  22. swing — in golf
  23. staff — a stick
  24. object — a thing

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