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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. can — to be able to
  4. bound — obliged
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. craft — boats
  7. ball — a great time
  8. net — in sport
  9. bound — certain
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bound — tied together
  15. net — after costs
  16. pop — soda
  17. pop — to visit
  18. net — for catching
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. can — a tin
  21. pop — music
  22. craft — a skill
  23. ball — a dance
  24. can — a tin

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