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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: bound · hand · coach · jam · face · cell · drill · can

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — to point toward
  4. can — a tin
  5. bound — tied together
  6. drill — a practice
  7. cell — in biology
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. cell — a phone
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. can — to be able to
  15. drill — army training
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. bound — certain
  19. hand — help
  20. face — part of the head
  21. hand — in cards
  22. can — a tin
  23. bound — obliged
  24. drill — the tool

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