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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. field — a subject
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. bass — low music
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. field — for sport
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. mug — to rob
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. mug — a face
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. field — farmland
  16. toast — bread
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mug — a cup
  23. bass — the fish
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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