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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. game — wild animals
  4. chest — a box
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. suit — in cards
  10. chest — of your body
  11. suit — to fit
  12. band — a ring
  13. chest — of your body
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. bear — the animal
  16. shower — to wash
  17. suit — clothes
  18. game — a match
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. band — a music group
  21. shower — rain
  22. bear — the animal
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bear — to put up with

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