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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.

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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: chip · safe · season · march · leaves · face · mine · coach

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. mine — for digging
  4. march — the month
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. season — of the year
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. chip — for betting
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. face — to confront
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. season — in sport
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. march — the month
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. face — part of the head
  19. march — music
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. chip — to eat
  23. face — to point toward
  24. leaves — to go away

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