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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. prune — to trim
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. current — of water
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. current — electric
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. vault — a safe
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. deal — to handle
  17. squash — to crush
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. current — happening now
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. squash — the sport
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. prune — the fruit

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