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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. staff — employees
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. chair — a leader
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. land — ground
  10. rest — a break
  11. rock — music
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. staff — a stick
  14. staff — employees
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. rock — a stone
  18. land — a country
  19. rest — what's left
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. hide — animal skin

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