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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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. last — to go on
  6. charge — a price
  7. root — the cause
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. sharp — clever
  10. last — final
  11. swing — music
  12. charge — electricity
  13. suit — clothes
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. last — finally
  16. root — of a plant
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. charge — in control
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — to fit
  23. root — of a word
  24. swing — to play on

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