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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. drill — the tool
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. present — a gift
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bass — low music
  8. can — to be able to
  9. spell — a short time
  10. spell — magic
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. present — there
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. can — a tin
  15. drill — army training
  16. can — a tin
  17. bass — the fish
  18. drill — a practice
  19. wind — moving air
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. spell — letters
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. present — the time now
  24. racket — for tennis

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