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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 120 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
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: tube · coach · ball · chair · press · cap · temple · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cap — a hat
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. ball — a great time
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. press — to push
  11. chair — a leader
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. ball — a dance
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. cap — a lid
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. press — a publisher
  22. tube — the underground
  23. press — newspapers
  24. temple — a place of worship

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