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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. net — for catching
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. net — in sport
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. track — a path
  7. pit — a hole
  8. net — after costs
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. rash — a series
  12. pit — in a race
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. rash — hasty
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. track — a song
  18. track — to keep track
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. leaves — lets stay

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