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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.

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: bowl · cap · mate · hand · safe · season · racket · chest

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. mate — a friend
  4. hand — in cards
  5. chest — a box
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. season — of the year
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. chest — of your body
  15. mate — to breed
  16. cap — of ice
  17. mate — a partner
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. chest — of your body
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. season — in sport
  23. hand — help
  24. cap — a hat

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