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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: cabinet · safe · rock · march · pitch · cell · game · temple

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. game — a match
  5. pitch — completely
  6. rock — a stone
  7. game — wild animals
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. rock — music
  10. march — the month
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. march — music
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. cell — a phone
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. march — the month
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cell — in biology
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. temple — a place of worship

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