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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bank — for money
  6. prune — to trim
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. bank — of a river
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bank — for money
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. game — wild animals
  13. dip — to sink
  14. key — in music
  15. key — the most important part
  16. game — a match
  17. prune — to trim
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. rest — a break
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. rest — what's left

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