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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 120 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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rock — a stone
  9. bear — the animal
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. swing — to play on
  12. capital — a city
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. lie — to recline
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. swing — in golf
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. capital — money
  22. swing — music
  23. rock — music
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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