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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.

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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: coach · sharp · safe · pass · hide · can · dip · cold

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — clever
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. can — a tin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pass — a permit
  9. cold — an illness
  10. can — to be able to
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. dip — to sink
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. can — a tin
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. cold — not warm
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. safe — out of danger

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