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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
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: coach · mine · bay · firm · capital · bore · leaves · lash

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bore — to tire
  4. capital — a city
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. capital — money
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. firm — steady
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. firm — a company
  15. bore — to drill
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. firm — decided
  20. mine — for digging
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. leaves — lets stay

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