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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: safe · band · pitcher · coach · stem · sharp · bat · fine

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. band — a ring
  8. band — a music group
  9. fine — high quality
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bat — the animal
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. stem — to come from
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. fine — all right
  23. sharp — clever
  24. pitcher — a jug

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