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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 116 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: bowl · pit · bear · coach · scale · object · rock · present

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. object — an aim
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. present — there
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. object — a thing
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. rock — a stone
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. present — a gift
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. pit — a hole
  17. bear — the animal
  18. present — the time now
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pit — in a race
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. object — to protest
  24. rock — music

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