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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 116 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 belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. club — a group
  3. squash — the sport
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. chair — a leader
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. season — in sport
  10. hand — help
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. club — for golf
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. hand — in cards
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. club — for dancing
  18. squash — to crush
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. pound — a weight
  21. kick — in football
  22. season — of the year
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. squash — the vegetable

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