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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.

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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: bay · spell · coach · leaves · shower · fine · lean · bank

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. spell — magic
  3. spell — a short time
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. bank — for money
  6. shower — to wash
  7. bank — of a river
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. fine — high quality
  14. bank — for money
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. lean — thin
  17. fine — all right
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. spell — letters
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. lean — to bend
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. shower — rain

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