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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 116 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: hand · game · safe · bass · racket · present · suit · bowl

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. hand — in cards
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. game — a match
  5. game — wild animals
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. present — the time now
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. present — a gift
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bass — low music
  16. bass — the fish
  17. present — there
  18. hand — help
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — clothes
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. game — a kind of play

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