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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. object — a thing
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. spell — letters
  7. spell — a short time
  8. spring — a coil
  9. charge — electricity
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. charge — in control
  13. object — to protest
  14. bass — low music
  15. bass — the fish
  16. spring — of water
  17. spring — the season
  18. charge — a price
  19. object — an aim
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. spell — magic
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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