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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. stem — to come from
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. lie — to recline
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a trace
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. mark — a grade
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — clever
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. band — a ring
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. band — a music group
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. lie — an untruth

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