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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 116 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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. mate — to breed
  4. cap — of ice
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — to fit
  7. mate — a friend
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. suit — clothes
  10. shower — to wash
  11. object — to protest
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. object — a thing
  15. bark — to shout
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. cap — a hat
  18. mate — a partner
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. object — an aim
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. shower — rain
  24. cap — a lid

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