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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: hide · land · can · dip · coach · safe · jam · wound

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. land — ground
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. land — a country
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. can — to be able to
  13. wound — an injury
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. can — a tin
  17. dip — to sink
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wound — an injury
  21. land — to come down
  22. can — a tin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — to keep secret

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