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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. current — electric
  3. pitch — completely
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. chest — of your body
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. chest — a box
  14. chest — of your body
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. spell — letters
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. spell — a short time
  19. current — of water
  20. spell — magic
  21. current — happening now
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. trunk — of a car

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