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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: chair · temple · suit · kick · fall · coach · pop · roll

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. suit — clothes
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. roll — a list
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. fall — to drop
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. suit — in cards
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. pop — soda
  13. roll — a cake
  14. chair — a leader
  15. suit — to fit
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. kick — in football
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. pop — to visit
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. pop — music
  24. fall — the season

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