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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: mark · coach · kid · ball · cap · wake · leaves · temple

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. mark — a trace
  4. kid — child
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. cap — of ice
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. ball — a great time
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. mark — a grade
  18. cap — a hat
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. kid — to tease
  22. wake — a trail
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. cap — a lid

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