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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. present — there
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. mug — to rob
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. hand — in cards
  13. scale — size or range
  14. fine — all right
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. present — a gift
  19. mug — a face
  20. hand — help
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. mug — a cup
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. fine — high quality

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