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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: spring · cabinet · rest · rock · nail · coach · roll · pit

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. rock — a stone
  3. spring — a coil
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. roll — a cake
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. spring — of water
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rock — music
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. spring — the season
  13. pit — in a race
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. roll — a list
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. rest — a break
  22. pit — a hole
  23. rest — what's left
  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