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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pit — a hole
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. charge — a price
  10. bulb — for light
  11. charge — in control
  12. march — music
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. charge — electricity
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. march — the month
  22. march — the month
  23. bulb — for light
  24. trunk — of a tree

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