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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: safe · cabinet · deal · coach · cold · ball · nail · bound

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. bound — obliged
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. cold — an illness
  7. ball — a dance
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bound — certain
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. cold — not warm
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. deal — to handle
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. bound — tied together
  24. ball — a great time

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