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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. content — the amount
  3. spring — the season
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bear — the animal
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. bank — for money
  11. spring — a coil
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bank — for money
  15. spring — of water
  16. rest — what's left
  17. content — happy
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. rest — a break

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