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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
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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: cap · coach · object · row · hide · last · bound · fan

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. row — a line
  5. cap — a lid
  6. last — finally
  7. last — final
  8. cap — a hat
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. row — to paddle
  12. object — an aim
  13. bound — tied together
  14. bound — certain
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. object — to protest
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bound — obliged
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. object — a thing
  23. last — to go on
  24. cap — of ice

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