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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. ball — a great time
  3. mug — a cup
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. roll — a list
  8. roll — a cake
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. board — to get on
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. march — the month
  14. mug — a face
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. board — a committee
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. march — the month
  20. march — music
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. ball — a dance
  23. mug — to rob
  24. jam — in traffic

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