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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 116 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
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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: fall · leaves · coach · mate · pitcher · fork · bat · bound

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bat — the animal
  7. mate — a friend
  8. fall — to drop
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. mate — to breed
  13. fall — the season
  14. fork — in a road
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. bound — obliged
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bound — certain
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. mate — a partner
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. fall — to drop

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