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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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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: chair · safe · ball · present · rule · mate

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. present — there
  3. chair — a leader
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. ball — a dance
  6. rule — a law
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. rule — government
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mate — a friend
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a great time
  15. present — the time now
  16. mate — to breed
  17. present — a gift
  18. mate — a partner

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