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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 120 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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. fine — high quality
  3. pass — a permit
  4. land — to come down
  5. object — to protest
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bear — the animal
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. land — ground
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. stand — to bear
  13. object — a thing
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. land — a country
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bear — the animal
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. ball — a great time
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. fine — all right
  24. object — an aim

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