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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 124 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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. staff — employees
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. saw — the tool
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. staff — a stick
  11. fork — in a road
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. court — of a king
  14. court — for sport
  15. staff — employees
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. court — of law
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. saw — the tool
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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