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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: wound · temple · leaves · coach · stand · bat · cap · foot

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. wound — an injury
  3. cap — a hat
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bat — the animal
  12. cap — a lid
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. wound — an injury
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — to bear
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. cap — of ice
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. foot — a measure

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