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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 116 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: ground · mouse · lie · staff · court · safe · bat · coach

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. staff — a stick
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. staff — employees
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. court — of law
  14. ground — crushed
  15. bat — the animal
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. ground — the earth
  19. ground — a position
  20. staff — employees
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. court — for sport
  23. court — of a king
  24. lie — an untruth

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