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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: bank · racket · cabinet · pop · date · kid · safe · ball

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bank — for money
  5. date — the fruit
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. ball — a great time
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. kid — child
  12. pop — soda
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — of a river
  18. pop — to visit
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. kid — to tease
  24. pop — music

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