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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 120 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: mouse · cabinet · leaves · season · cold · coach · pop · arm

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. season — of the year
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. pop — soda
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. cold — an illness
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pop — music
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. cold — not warm
  23. season — in sport
  24. cabinet — ministers

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