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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: object · snap · coach · mate · bear · mouse · present · bank

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mate — a partner
  4. snap — to click
  5. mate — to breed
  6. object — to protest
  7. bear — the animal
  8. present — the time now
  9. object — a thing
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. object — an aim
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. present — there
  18. present — a gift
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bear — the animal
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bank — for money
  24. mouse — the animal

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