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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: coach · leaves · suit · cap · clip · cell · club · roll

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. club — a group
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. clip — to cut
  6. clip — for paper
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. cap — a lid
  9. suit — clothes
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. cap — of ice
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. cell — in biology
  15. club — for dancing
  16. roll — a cake
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. clip — a video
  19. club — for golf
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. roll — a list
  22. cap — a hat
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. roll — on a roll

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