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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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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 took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. ball — a great time
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. band — a music group
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. suit — to fit
  11. kid — to tease
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — clothes
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pass — a permit
  16. ball — a dance
  17. net — after costs
  18. band — a ring
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. kid — child
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. net — in sport
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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