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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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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: present · coach · sharp · rest · last · rock · bay · shower

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. present — a gift
  3. rock — music
  4. present — the time now
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rest — a break
  7. shower — rain
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rest — what's left
  11. last — to go on
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. shower — to wash
  17. rest — what's left
  18. last — finally
  19. sharp — clever
  20. present — there
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. last — final
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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