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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. mate — a friend
  3. bear — the animal
  4. court — of a king
  5. court — for sport
  6. pit — in a race
  7. scale — size or range
  8. charge — a price
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — in control
  12. pit — a hole
  13. court — of law
  14. bear — the animal
  15. scale — in music
  16. mate — to breed
  17. dip — to sink
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. mate — a partner
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. dip — to dunk

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