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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mug — a face
  9. mug — to rob
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. ground — the earth
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. band — a music group
  18. ground — a position
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. ground — crushed
  21. band — a ring
  22. date — the fruit
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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