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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: sharp · coach · hand · bay · trunk · safe · lie · board

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. board — to get on
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. hand — help
  7. sharp — clever
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. hand — in cards
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. board — a committee
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. board — a flat piece

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