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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: coach · patient · cap · safe · club · hide · arm · scale

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. club — a group
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. scale — in music
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. cap — of ice
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. club — for dancing
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. cap — a lid
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. club — for golf
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. scale — size or range
  21. cap — a hat
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. arm — a part of something

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