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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: hide · leaves · fan · swing · fine · coach · pitch · snap

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. swing — music
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. snap — to click
  17. fine — high quality
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. pitch — completely
  21. swing — to play on
  22. fine — all right
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. swing — in golf

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