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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. court — of law
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. rest — what's left
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mate — a friend
  10. stand — to bear
  11. mate — a partner
  12. court — of a king
  13. court — for sport
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. kid — child
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. mate — to breed
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. craft — boats
  23. rest — a break
  24. rest — what's left

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