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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. cell — in biology
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bass — the fish
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. chip — to eat
  13. date — the fruit
  14. bass — low music
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. mine — for digging
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. chip — for betting
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cell — a phone
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. mine — an explosive

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