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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.

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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: arm · season · race · coach · safe · bound · mine · staff

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. season — in sport
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. bound — obliged
  5. race — the arms race
  6. season — of the year
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. race — a contest
  11. staff — employees
  12. race — humankind
  13. bound — certain
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. mine — for digging
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. staff — a stick
  21. bound — tied together
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. staff — employees

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