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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. degree — from a university
  5. firm — decided
  6. degree — an amount
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. tube — the underground
  11. ball — a great time
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. dip — to sink
  15. firm — steady
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. firm — a company
  20. tube — a container
  21. degree — temperature
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. ball — a dance
  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