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

Word bank: coach · last · drill · swing · rock · bay · snap · mark

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. swing — music
  3. drill — the tool
  4. rock — music
  5. drill — a practice
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. last — final
  8. swing — in golf
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. mark — a grade
  11. swing — to play on
  12. snap — to click
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. rock — a stone
  15. last — finally
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. last — to go on
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. drill — army training
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. mark — to pay attention

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