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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mine · leaves · bear · stick · mouse · track · coach · roll

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. roll — a cake
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. roll — a list
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. track — to keep track
  16. track — a path
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. track — a song
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. bear — the animal
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mine — belonging to me

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