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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. saw — the tool
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bank — of a river
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bank — for money
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. bank — for money
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. cabinet — ministers

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