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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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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: spell · coach · cold · board · swing · safe · pit · patient

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. pit — a hole
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. swing — in golf
  5. pit — in a race
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. spell — magic
  8. spell — letters
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. cold — not warm
  11. swing — music
  12. spell — a short time
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. swing — to play on
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. board — a committee
  19. cold — an illness
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. board — to get on

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