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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. stand — to bear
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. wake — a trail
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. season — of the year
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. season — in sport
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. branch — a division
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. wave — of the sea

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