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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: bear · racket · season · game · coach · race · bat · face

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. game — a match
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bat — the animal
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. face — to confront
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bear — the animal
  14. face — to point toward
  15. game — wild animals
  16. season — in sport
  17. race — humankind
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. race — the arms race
  20. face — part of the head
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. race — a contest

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