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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · suit · field · squash · mouse · pass · stick · board

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. field — a subject
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. suit — to fit
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. suit — clothes
  10. squash — the sport
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. board — a committee
  15. suit — in cards
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. field — farmland
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. field — for sport
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pass — a permit

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