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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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 · plane · arm · tube · patient · safe · stem · key

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. key — for a lock
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. tube — the underground
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. tube — a container
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. key — in music
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. key — the most important part
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. stem — to come from
  22. plane — a tool
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. stem — of a plant

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