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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. present — the time now
  3. spell — a short time
  4. pit — in a race
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. spell — magic
  7. present — there
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. spell — letters
  15. bound — certain
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. cue — for pool
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. cue — a hint
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. pit — a hole
  23. cue — a signal
  24. present — a gift

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