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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. content — happy
  9. march — the month
  10. march — the month
  11. vault — a safe
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. present — there
  14. bank — of a river
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. present — the time now
  18. content — the amount
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. march — music
  22. bank — for money
  23. present — a gift
  24. bank — for money

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