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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. court — for sport
  5. mate — to breed
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bound — certain
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. bound — obliged
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. last — final
  16. last — finally
  17. last — to go on
  18. court — of a king
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. court — of law
  22. mate — a friend
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. mate — a partner

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