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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. chest — of your body
  4. rest — what's left
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. rest — a break
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — employees
  9. board — to get on
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. staff — a stick
  12. chest — of your body
  13. rest — what's left
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. degree — an amount
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. degree — from a university
  19. board — a committee
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. prune — to trim
  22. degree — temperature
  23. prune — to trim
  24. safe — out of danger

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