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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. saw — the tool
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. cue — a hint
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. spell — a short time
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. charge — in control
  13. cue — for pool
  14. charge — a price
  15. spell — letters
  16. spell — magic
  17. cue — a signal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. degree — temperature
  20. charge — electricity
  21. degree — from a university
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. degree — an amount

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