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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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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. can — a tin
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. court — for sport
  5. court — of a king
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. net — after costs
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. swing — to play on
  10. bat — the animal
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. net — for catching
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. can — a tin
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. swing — in golf
  21. net — in sport
  22. court — of law
  23. can — to be able to
  24. cabinet — ministers

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