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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bank — for money
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mug — a face
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. mug — to rob
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. mug — a cup
  15. chair — a leader
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bank — of a river
  18. game — wild animals
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bank — for money
  21. game — a match
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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