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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 116 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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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: cabinet · race · coach · cold · bay · present · safe · object

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cold — not warm
  5. present — a gift
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. object — to protest
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. race — a contest
  15. race — humankind
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. present — there
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. cold — an illness
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. race — the arms race
  23. object — an aim
  24. present — the time now

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