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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · coach · field · safe · swing · charge · rule · ball

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. swing — music
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. swing — in golf
  7. rule — government
  8. swing — to play on
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. field — a subject
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — a price
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. field — farmland
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. rule — a law
  18. field — for sport
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. ball — a dance
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. charge — in control
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. cabinet — ministers

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