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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a great time
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. bear — the animal
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. season — of the year
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. season — in sport
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bear — the animal
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. chair — a leader
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pit — a hole
  24. ball — a round shape

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