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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: mate · lean · calf · jam · leaves · scale · coach · dip

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. scale — in music
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. dip — to sink
  10. scale — size or range
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mate — a friend
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. mate — to breed
  17. lean — thin
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. lean — to bend
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. coach — a trainer

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