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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.

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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. spell — a short time
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. chair — a leader
  7. pass — a permit
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. spell — magic
  15. net — after costs
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. lie — to recline
  18. net — in sport
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. spell — letters
  24. net — for catching

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