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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: bore · land · safe · pitcher · sharp · coach · chair · pass

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. land — to come down
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. land — a country
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bore — to drill
  16. land — ground
  17. chair — a leader
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bore — to tire
  24. pass — to succeed

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