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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: cap · lean · bat · fan · cabinet · plane · safe · cue

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cap — a lid
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — a tool
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. cap — a hat
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cue — a hint
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. lean — thin
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. bat — the animal
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. plane — in geometry

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