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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. court — for sport
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. swing — music
  9. mug — to rob
  10. swing — to play on
  11. scale — size or range
  12. pound — a weight
  13. rest — a break
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mug — a face
  17. swing — in golf
  18. court — of law
  19. court — of a king
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. rest — what's left
  22. scale — in music
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. mouse — the animal

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