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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. cap — a lid
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. net — for catching
  6. last — finally
  7. cap — of ice
  8. net — in sport
  9. net — after costs
  10. pit — in a race
  11. cap — a hat
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. hand — help
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. pit — a hole
  18. last — to go on
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. last — final
  23. bank — for money
  24. rush — hurry

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