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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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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: toast · ball · lie · coach · wound · pass · rush · content

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. ball — a great time
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. content — the amount
  11. wound — an injury
  12. content — happy
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. ball — a dance
  16. toast — bread
  17. wound — an injury
  18. rush — hurry
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. pass — a permit
  24. content — videos and posts

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