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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: coach · shower · spell · leaves · suit · race · rule · wind

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. suit — to fit
  3. race — the arms race
  4. rule — government
  5. spell — a short time
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. shower — rain
  9. wind — moving air
  10. race — a contest
  11. suit — clothes
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. rule — a law
  16. suit — in cards
  17. race — humankind
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. shower — to wash
  21. wind — moving air
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. spell — letters
  24. spell — magic

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