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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: staff · foot · can · mate · ground · present · coach · leaves

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. can — to be able to
  3. staff — employees
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. mate — a partner
  6. ground — the earth
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mate — to breed
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. present — there
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. staff — a stick
  15. staff — employees
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. present — the time now
  18. ground — crushed
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. foot — a measure
  21. ground — a position
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. leaves — of a tree

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