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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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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. cap — a hat
  6. cap — of ice
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. net — for catching
  9. tube — the underground
  10. tube — a container
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. cap — a lid
  13. pop — to visit
  14. spell — letters
  15. net — after costs
  16. board — to get on
  17. pop — music
  18. board — a committee
  19. pop — soda
  20. spell — a short time
  21. net — in sport
  22. spell — magic
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. coach — a trainer

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