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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. present — there
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. mug — to rob
  7. race — a contest
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. present — the time now
  15. spring — of water
  16. mug — a cup
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. race — humankind
  19. present — a gift
  20. race — the arms race
  21. mug — a face
  22. spring — the season
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

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