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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mug — a face
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — an injury
  5. season — in sport
  6. season — of the year
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rock — a stone
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. mug — a cup
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. rock — music
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. snap — to click
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. chair — a leader
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. jam — a tight spot

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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