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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. court — of a king
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. mate — a partner
  11. court — for sport
  12. mate — to breed
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. mate — a friend
  15. dip — to sink
  16. stand — to bear
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. court — of law
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. bat — the animal
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. bat — in an idiom

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