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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: pass · coach · mine · leaves · suit · bowl · mate · sharp

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. mine — for digging
  3. pass — a permit
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. mate — to breed
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. sharp — clever
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. suit — to fit
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. suit — in cards

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