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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · object · racket · hide · game · present

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. present — the time now
  6. object — a thing
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. object — an aim
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. game — wild animals
  14. present — a gift
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. present — there
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. game — a match

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