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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: cabinet · present · bowl · coach · leaves · swing · lash · safe

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. swing — music
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. present — the time now
  11. present — a gift
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. present — there
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. swing — in golf
  18. swing — to play on
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. leaves — to go away

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