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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.

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: trunk · press · coach · season · rock · stick · leaves · race

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. rock — music
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. race — the arms race
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. season — in sport
  12. race — a contest
  13. season — of the year
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. press — to push
  21. race — humankind
  22. press — a publisher
  23. press — newspapers
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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