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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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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: firm · mate · season · suit · coach · tube · ground · racket

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. tube — the underground
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. season — of the year
  5. ground — the earth
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. firm — steady
  8. suit — in cards
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. mate — a friend
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. firm — a company
  13. mate — a partner
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — a container
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. ground — crushed
  19. mate — to breed
  20. season — in sport
  21. suit — to fit
  22. firm — decided
  23. suit — clothes
  24. ground — a position

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