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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
468
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: key · bowl · leaves · branch · swing · hide · bay · coach

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. swing — in golf
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. key — for a lock
  11. swing — music
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. swing — to play on
  22. key — in music
  23. branch — a division
  24. leaves — lets stay

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