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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. squash — the sport
  3. suit — to fit
  4. scale — size or range
  5. file — a line of people
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — the tool
  11. file — a document
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. scale — in music
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. file — a tool
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. squash — to crush

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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