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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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. ground — the earth
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. ground — crushed
  9. roll — a cake
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. ground — a position
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. roll — a list
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cabinet — ministers

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