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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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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: safe · capital · rash · mug · roll · can

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. can — a tin
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rash — a series
  6. capital — money
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — a face
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. mug — to rob
  13. can — a tin
  14. capital — a city
  15. rash — hasty
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. roll — a list
  18. roll — a cake

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