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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mug — to rob
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. chair — a leader
  8. stem — to come from
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — all right
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. mug — a face
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bark — to shout
  24. mug — a cup

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