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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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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: bank · leaves · sharp · rule · coach · date · staff · key

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. date — the fruit
  3. key — for a lock
  4. rule — government
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. key — the most important part
  10. staff — employees
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. bank — for money
  13. staff — employees
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — of a river
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. sharp — clever
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. key — in music
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. rule — a law
  24. leaves — to go away

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