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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. face — to point toward
  14. rest — a break
  15. rest — what's left
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bulb — for light
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. face — to confront
  21. bulb — for light
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. rush — hurry
  24. face — part of the head

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