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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: fine · suit · coach · cap · press · craft · lie · date

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. press — to push
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fine — high quality
  6. cap — a lid
  7. press — a publisher
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. suit — clothes
  10. craft — boats
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. suit — in cards
  14. press — newspapers
  15. suit — to fit
  16. cap — of ice
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — the fruit
  19. lie — to recline
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — a skill
  22. fine — all right
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. date — on the calendar

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