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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
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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: season · chair · land · object · bank · arm · coach · lean

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. land — ground
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. object — an aim
  5. chair — a leader
  6. land — to come down
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. object — a thing
  9. season — of the year
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. lean — thin
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. season — in sport
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. land — a country
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. lean — to bend
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. object — to protest

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