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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: hide · mark · saw · safe · band · coach · swing · land

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. land — ground
  3. swing — in golf
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. saw — the tool
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. land — to come down
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. swing — to play on
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. saw — the tool
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. mark — a grade
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. land — a country
  20. swing — music
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. band — a music group

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