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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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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: mouse · lie · coach · snap · wind · safe · game · bowl

  1. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. lie — to recline
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. game — a match
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wind — moving air
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. snap — to click
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. game — wild animals
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. coach — a trainer

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