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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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 · toast · bulb · temple · cabinet · wound · coach · game

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. toast — bread
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. wound — an injury
  18. game — a match
  19. bulb — for light
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. wound — an injury
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. game — wild animals

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