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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: safe · cabinet · roll · bat · pit · cold · stock · leaves

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. stock — shares
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cold — an illness
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. roll — a cake
  15. pit — in a race
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. stock — goods
  18. roll — a list
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pit — a hole
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bat — the animal
  23. cold — not warm
  24. leaves — to go away

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