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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. spell — letters
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. spell — magic
  9. rash — a series
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. rash — hasty
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. squash — to crush
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. fork — in a road
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. squash — the sport
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. spell — a short time
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. can — a tin

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