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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: coach · spell · cabinet · chair · pitcher · file · bank · safe

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. bank — for money
  6. file — a tool
  7. spell — a short time
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. spell — magic
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bank — of a river
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. spell — letters
  19. bank — for money
  20. chair — a leader
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. file — a document
  24. cabinet — ministers

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