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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. court — of a king
  4. row — to paddle
  5. drill — a practice
  6. mug — a face
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. mug — a cup
  11. court — of law
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. drill — the tool
  15. court — for sport
  16. key — in music
  17. snap — to click
  18. mug — to rob
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. row — a line
  21. drill — army training
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — the most important part
  24. fan — a supporter

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