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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 120 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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. mine — for digging
  4. shower — to wash
  5. ball — a dance
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. swing — to play on
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. fine — high quality
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. swing — music
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. shower — rain
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. swing — in golf
  23. ball — a great time
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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