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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. bank — of a river
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. content — the amount
  8. content — happy
  9. bank — for money
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. season — in sport
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bank — for money
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. firm — decided
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — steady
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. season — of the year
  24. leaves — to go away

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