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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 116 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. pass — a permit
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mine — for digging
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. row — a line
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. row — to paddle
  21. sharp — clever
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. mouse — the animal

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