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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. dip — to sink
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. saw — the tool
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. march — the month
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. march — the month
  17. fork — in a road
  18. mark — a grade
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mark — a trace
  21. saw — the tool
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. march — music
  24. fan — a supporter

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