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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.

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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: straw · deal · ball · fine · cabinet · capital · last · safe

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. capital — money
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. capital — a city
  10. deal — to handle
  11. last — finally
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. last — final
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. fine — all right
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a dance
  22. last — to go on
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. safe — a strongbox

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