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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: club · last · leaves · scale · coach · mate · can · foot

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. club — a group
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mate — a partner
  5. scale — in music
  6. last — finally
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. can — to be able to
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. club — for golf
  13. can — a tin
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. scale — size or range
  17. mate — a friend
  18. club — for dancing
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. foot — a measure
  22. mate — to breed
  23. last — final
  24. can — a tin

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