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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 120 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: suit · coach · mark · leaves · cap · root · face · sharp

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. suit — to fit
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. face — part of the head
  6. cap — a lid
  7. sharp — clever
  8. cap — of ice
  9. face — to point toward
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. root — of a word
  13. suit — in cards
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. cap — a hat
  16. face — to confront
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. suit — clothes
  20. root — of a plant
  21. mark — a grade
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. root — the cause

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