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

Word bank: rock · tear · cabinet · ground · coach · pit · safe · board

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. tear — from crying
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. ground — a position
  6. board — to get on
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — music
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. ground — the earth
  14. pit — a hole
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. pit — in a race
  20. tear — to rip
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. tear — from crying
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. ground — crushed

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