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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: coach · safe · hide · mark · mine · cell · file · key

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mine — for digging
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. cell — in biology
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. file — a line of people
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. key — in music
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. key — for a lock
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. cell — a phone
  19. file — a tool
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. file — a document
  24. key — the most important part

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