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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. swing — to play on
  3. mug — to rob
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. mug — a face
  6. cap — a lid
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. roll — a cake
  9. rest — a break
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. land — ground
  12. land — a country
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. swing — music
  15. craft — a skill
  16. cap — of ice
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. rest — what's left
  19. roll — a list
  20. cap — a hat
  21. swing — in golf
  22. land — to come down
  23. craft — boats
  24. rest — what's left

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