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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: leaves · bear · coach · chair · rule · stem · pitcher · rock

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. rule — government
  4. bear — the animal
  5. rule — a law
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. stem — to come from
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. rock — a stone
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. chair — a leader
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. rock — music
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. stem — of a plant

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