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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. mate — a partner
  4. bark — to shout
  5. last — to go on
  6. last — finally
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. last — final
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. mug — a face
  15. suit — clothes
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. suit — in cards
  19. mate — to breed
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. mug — to rob
  22. suit — to fit
  23. chair — a leader
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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