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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. foot — a measure
  4. staff — employees
  5. spell — magic
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. spell — letters
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. staff — employees
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. rest — what's left
  13. spell — a short time
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rest — what's left
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. staff — a stick
  23. branch — a division
  24. rest — a break

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