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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 120 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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. rest — a break
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. mug — to rob
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — a face
  9. march — music
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. rest — what's left
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. march — the month
  19. stem — to come from
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. march — the month

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