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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: coach · game · object · wake · arm · mate · fork · season

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. wake — a trail
  6. mate — a partner
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. object — to protest
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. game — wild animals
  12. object — an aim
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. mate — to breed
  15. season — of the year
  16. object — a thing
  17. game — a match
  18. mate — a friend
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. arm — part of the body

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