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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bass — low music
  4. rock — a stone
  5. mug — a face
  6. rock — music
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. mug — to rob
  12. fall — to drop
  13. key — the most important part
  14. fall — the season
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. mug — a cup
  19. key — in music
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. fall — to drop
  22. key — for a lock
  23. bass — the fish
  24. rock — to move gently

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