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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: chest · mouse · row · coach · staff · mug · bound · date

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bound — obliged
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. chest — of your body
  8. staff — a stick
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. staff — employees
  11. mug — a face
  12. bound — tied together
  13. row — a line
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. mug — a cup
  19. staff — employees
  20. date — the fruit
  21. row — to paddle
  22. chest — of your body
  23. bound — certain
  24. mouse — the animal

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