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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. cell — in biology
  7. season — of the year
  8. tube — the underground
  9. face — part of the head
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. season — in sport
  13. face — to point toward
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. dip — to sink
  17. face — to confront
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. tube — a container
  20. branch — a division
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. cell — a phone
  24. dip — a sauce

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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