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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. spell — a short time
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. foot — a measure
  8. court — of a king
  9. court — for sport
  10. spell — magic
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. capital — a city
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. spell — letters
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. court — of law
  21. capital — money
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. lash — to lash out

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