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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. rest — a break
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. ground — a position
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. ground — crushed
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. rest — what's left
  14. ground — the earth
  15. rule — government
  16. rest — what's left
  17. wake — a trail
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. branch — a division
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. rule — a law
  24. saw — the tool

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