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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. suit — clothes
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. game — a match
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. suit — in cards
  12. fall — the season
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. race — humankind
  16. race — a contest
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. race — the arms race
  19. fall — to drop
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. suit — to fit
  22. fall — to drop
  23. game — wild animals
  24. hide — to keep secret

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