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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: swing · spell · coach · land · bear · rock · safe · present

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. spell — magic
  3. land — to come down
  4. land — a country
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bear — the animal
  7. swing — in golf
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. spell — a short time
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. swing — to play on
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. swing — music
  17. land — ground
  18. spell — letters
  19. rock — music
  20. present — there
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bear — the animal
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — a gift

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