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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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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: snap · cabinet · tear · ruler · wind · leaves · coach · pit

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. pit — a hole
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — to rip
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. wind — moving air
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. tear — from crying
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. snap — to click
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. wind — moving air
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. pit — in a race

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