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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.

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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: safe · staff · bowl · pit · coach · plane · rush · spring

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — hurry
  10. spring — a coil
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — a hole
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. staff — a stick
  15. spring — of water
  16. staff — employees
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. pit — in a race
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. staff — employees
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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