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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. staff — employees
  4. band — a music group
  5. mate — to breed
  6. bound — tied together
  7. mate — a friend
  8. band — a ring
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. staff — a stick
  12. bound — certain
  13. mate — a partner
  14. bound — obliged
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to bend
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. staff — employees
  21. toast — bread
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. band — a rubber band

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