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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.

Make a worksheet

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: leaves · bay · chest · toast · coach · rush · ball · craft

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. rush — hurry
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. chest — of your body
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. chest — of your body
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. toast — bread
  12. chest — a box
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. craft — boats
  20. ball — a great time
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. ball — a dance

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