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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. board — to get on
  6. pop — music
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. spring — the season
  10. scale — size or range
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. toast — bread
  13. spring — a coil
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. board — a committee
  16. pop — soda
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. scale — in music
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. firm — a company
  21. firm — decided
  22. spring — of water
  23. firm — steady
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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