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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. pop — to visit
  7. cap — a hat
  8. pop — music
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. lean — to bend
  12. pop — soda
  13. stand — to bear
  14. cap — of ice
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. bass — low music
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. lean — thin
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bass — the fish
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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