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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: pit · wound · cabinet · wake · firm · coach · season · fan

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. season — of the year
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. wound — an injury
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. firm — a company
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. wound — an injury
  13. pit — in a race
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. season — in sport
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. wake — a trail
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — steady
  24. pit — a hole

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