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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.

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: safe · coach · craft · mine · present · drill · arm · trunk

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. present — the time now
  3. drill — the tool
  4. craft — a skill
  5. present — a gift
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. craft — boats
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. drill — a practice
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. present — there
  14. drill — army training
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mine — for digging
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. safe — out of danger

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