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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 116 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: safe · coach · drill · board · pit · cell · cap · spell

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. spell — magic
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. pit — a hole
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. drill — a practice
  7. board — to get on
  8. pit — in a race
  9. cap — of ice
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. cell — a phone
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. board — a committee
  18. drill — the tool
  19. cap — a lid
  20. cell — in biology
  21. cap — a hat
  22. spell — letters
  23. spell — a short time
  24. safe — a strongbox

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