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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. game — wild animals
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. game — a match
  8. pop — music
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. snap — to click
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. mate — to breed
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rush — hurry
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pop — soda
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mate — a friend

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