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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: chair · leaves · coach · ball · trunk · stick · bear · jam

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bear — the animal
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. chair — a leader
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. bear — the animal
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a round shape

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