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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.

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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. ball — a dance
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. chest — a box
  6. staff — employees
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mate — a partner
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. chest — of your body
  12. ball — a great time
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. chest — of your body
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mate — a friend
  21. staff — employees
  22. mate — to breed
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. cabinet — ministers

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