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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: season · trunk · coach · snap · mark · hide · fan · bear

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. season — of the year
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bear — the animal
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. mark — a trace
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. snap — to click
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. season — in sport
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. trunk — of a car

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