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

Word bank: present · rule · pit · craft · coach · fall · rest · mug

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. pit — in a race
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rule — government
  7. mug — a face
  8. mug — to rob
  9. fall — to drop
  10. present — a gift
  11. pit — a hole
  12. rest — a break
  13. mug — a cup
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. craft — boats
  17. present — the time now
  18. fall — the season
  19. present — there
  20. craft — a skill
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. rule — a law
  24. fall — to drop

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