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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. drill — army training
  3. court — for sport
  4. mug — a face
  5. track — to keep track
  6. drill — the tool
  7. court — of law
  8. rest — what's left
  9. net — for catching
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. court — of a king
  12. mug — to rob
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — a series
  15. net — in sport
  16. net — after costs
  17. rest — a break
  18. track — a song
  19. mug — a cup
  20. drill — a practice
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. track — a path
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. coach — a trainer

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