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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 120 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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. kid — to tease
  3. mug — to rob
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cap — a hat
  8. kid — child
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — a series
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cap — of ice
  18. mug — a face
  19. cap — a lid
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. vault — a safe
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. safe — out of danger

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