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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. can — to be able to
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. mark — a trace
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. firm — decided
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. staff — employees
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. mark — a grade
  15. firm — a company
  16. staff — a stick
  17. staff — employees
  18. prune — to trim
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. firm — steady
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bat — the animal

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