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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. chair — a leader
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. mug — a face
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. mug — a cup
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. can — a tin
  13. mug — to rob
  14. lie — to recline
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. track — to keep track
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. can — a tin
  19. row — a line
  20. track — a song
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. track — a path
  23. row — to paddle
  24. can — to be able to

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