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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: suit · safe · mate · chair · coach · clip · sharp · stand

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. clip — to cut
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — clothes
  6. stand — to bear
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — clever
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mate — a friend
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. suit — to fit
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a partner
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. clip — for paper
  22. clip — a video
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. sharp — exactly

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