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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: saw · drill · stem · chair · coach · scale · game · safe

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stem — to come from
  6. drill — the tool
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. drill — army training
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. scale — size or range
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. game — a match
  14. scale — in music
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. chair — a leader
  18. saw — the tool
  19. game — wild animals
  20. saw — the tool
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. drill — a practice
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. safe — out of danger

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