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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. rash — hasty
  4. band — a ring
  5. lie — to recline
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. deal — to handle
  11. rash — a series
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. band — a music group
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. dip — to sink
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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