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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: suit · branch · cabinet · capital · coach · leaves · shower · roll

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. roll — a cake
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. branch — a division
  8. capital — money
  9. shower — rain
  10. capital — a city
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. roll — a list
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. suit — clothes
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. suit — in cards
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. suit — to fit
  24. shower — to wash

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