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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: sharp · coach · roll · leaves · rest · bank · fan · row

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. row — to paddle
  4. bank — for money
  5. rest — a break
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. bank — for money
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. rest — what's left
  13. row — a line
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. roll — a list
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. sharp — clever
  19. rest — what's left
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bank — of a river
  24. sharp — with an edge

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