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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bore — to drill
  4. suit — in cards
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. suit — to fit
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. clip — a video
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. scale — in music
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. kid — child
  14. kid — to tease
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. bore — to tire
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. clip — to cut
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. clip — for paper
  24. scale — size or range

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