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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.

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: fan · ball · bowl · cabinet · temple · fall · safe · bark

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fall — the season
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bark — to shout
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. ball — a dance

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