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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. pitch — completely
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. court — for sport
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. date — the fruit
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. court — of law
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. court — of a king
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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