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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. can — a tin
  4. bound — obliged
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. can — a tin
  8. spring — a coil
  9. bound — certain
  10. spring — the season
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. can — to be able to
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. bound — tied together
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. spring — of water

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