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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bore — to drill
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. game — wild animals
  10. court — of a king
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bore — to tire
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. court — of law
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bear — the animal
  21. game — a match
  22. court — for sport
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. ball — a dance

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