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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. spring — the season
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. spring — of water
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. sharp — clever
  8. pit — a hole
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. pit — in a race
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. spring — a coil
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. fork — in a road

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