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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: cabinet · safe · roll · shower · bound · bulb · march · stand

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. shower — to wash
  3. roll — a list
  4. stand — to bear
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. bound — tied together
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. shower — rain
  11. march — the month
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bound — certain
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bound — obliged
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. roll — a cake
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. march — the month
  22. march — music
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bulb — for light

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