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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.

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: leaves · tube · wake · cabinet · coach · spell · ball · racket

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. tube — the underground
  6. spell — a short time
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. wake — a trail
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. tube — a container
  13. ball — a great time
  14. spell — magic
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. spell — letters
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — a trainer

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