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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. cap — a lid
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. bear — the animal
  5. field — a subject
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. bear — the animal
  9. pit — in a race
  10. toast — bread
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. cap — a hat
  14. net — after costs
  15. cap — of ice
  16. net — for catching
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. field — for sport
  19. field — farmland
  20. ball — a dance
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pit — a hole
  23. ball — a great time
  24. net — in sport

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