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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.

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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. scale — size or range
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. board — a committee
  5. bank — for money
  6. scale — in music
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — clothes
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. board — to get on
  13. capital — a city
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bank — of a river
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bank — for money
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. capital — money
  24. leaves — lets stay

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