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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.

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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: fine · cabinet · march · mate · board · leaves · coach · ground

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. march — the month
  5. board — a committee
  6. fine — all right
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. ground — the earth
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mate — a friend
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. mate — a partner
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. ground — crushed
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. march — music
  18. mate — to breed
  19. board — to get on
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. march — the month
  23. ground — a position
  24. fine — high quality

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