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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chair · ball · lie · suit · race · bear · coach · date

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. suit — clothes
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. race — the arms race
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. suit — in cards
  8. race — humankind
  9. ball — a dance
  10. suit — to fit
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. bear — the animal
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. race — a contest
  20. bear — the animal
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. date — the fruit
  24. chair — a leader

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