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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. chair — a leader
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. fall — to drop
  6. pit — in a race
  7. cue — a hint
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. swing — music
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. fall — the season
  14. pit — a hole
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. rush — hurry
  17. swing — to play on
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. swing — in golf
  20. cue — for pool
  21. fall — to drop
  22. cue — a signal
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. chair — to sit on

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