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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: object · band · fork · roll · coach · safe · suit · bat

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. band — a music group
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — in cards
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. band — a ring
  11. object — an aim
  12. roll — a cake
  13. object — to protest
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. roll — a list
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. object — a thing
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. fork — in a road
  24. suit — to fit

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