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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: racket · can · suit · season · bay · leaves · coach · date

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. date — the fruit
  14. suit — clothes
  15. can — to be able to
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. suit — to fit
  18. can — a tin
  19. season — in sport
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. can — a tin

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