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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: track · roll · drill · bat · club · rush · cabinet · safe

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. club — for golf
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. club — a group
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. track — a song
  8. roll — a cake
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. drill — army training
  13. roll — a list
  14. track — a path
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. club — for dancing
  17. drill — a practice
  18. track — to keep track
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. bat — the animal
  23. rush — hurry
  24. drill — the tool

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