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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. rock — a stone
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. branch — a division
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. race — a contest
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. ball — a dance
  11. race — humankind
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. game — wild animals
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. rock — music
  22. ball — a great time
  23. game — a match
  24. race — the arms race

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