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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. season — in sport
  6. game — wild animals
  7. bank — for money
  8. game — a match
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. root — of a plant
  12. saw — the tool
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. root — of a word
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. saw — the tool
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. season — of the year
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. toast — bread
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. root — the cause

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