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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. mate — a friend
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. snap — to click
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. current — of water
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. key — the most important part
  10. mate — to breed
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. key — for a lock
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. key — in music
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. current — happening now
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. mate — a partner
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. current — electric

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