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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. present — there
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. rock — a stone
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. present — a gift
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. present — the time now
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. kid — to tease
  14. rest — what's left
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. rock — music
  23. rest — a break
  24. coach — a trainer

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