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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: leaves · season · field · mate · coach · march · bass · vault

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  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 — to go away
  2. march — music
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. field — farmland
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. field — for sport
  7. mate — to breed
  8. mate — a partner
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. vault — a safe
  12. season — of the year
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. march — the month
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. season — in sport
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. bass — the fish
  19. field — a subject
  20. march — the month
  21. bass — low music
  22. mate — a friend
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  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