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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.

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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: leaves · cabinet · spell · coach · mark · rest · stock · cap

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. spell — magic
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. rest — what's left
  8. mark — a trace
  9. spell — letters
  10. cap — a hat
  11. rest — a break
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. mark — a grade
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. cap — a lid
  16. rest — what's left
  17. spell — a short time
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. stock — goods
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. cap — of ice
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. stock — shares

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