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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pop · fine · rule · leaves · rest · coach · spell · stick

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. fine — high quality
  3. fine — all right
  4. rule — a law
  5. rest — a break
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. pop — soda
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rule — government
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. spell — a short time
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — to visit
  15. spell — letters
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — what's left
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. spell — magic

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