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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. toast — bread
  3. court — for sport
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. pit — a hole
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bass — low music
  10. present — the time now
  11. present — a gift
  12. pit — in a race
  13. sharp — clever
  14. present — there
  15. court — of a king
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a face
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. court — of law
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. mug — a cup
  24. sharp — exactly

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