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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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. sharp — with an edge
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. march — the month
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. sharp — clever
  9. toast — bread
  10. march — music
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. fine — high quality
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. march — the month
  16. chip — for betting
  17. fine — all right
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. snap — to click
  23. chip — to eat
  24. fine — a penalty

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