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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 120 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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. wound — an injury
  9. court — for sport
  10. firm — a company
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — a short time
  13. club — for golf
  14. court — of law
  15. pass — a permit
  16. wound — an injury
  17. firm — decided
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. spell — magic
  21. club — for dancing
  22. court — of a king
  23. club — a group
  24. firm — steady

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