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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bore · cap · club · leaves · foot · pit · coach · fan

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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. club — a group
  4. club — for golf
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. cap — a hat
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. bore — to drill
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. cap — of ice
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. foot — a measure
  19. club — for dancing
  20. pit — in a race
  21. cap — a lid
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. bore — to tire
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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