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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
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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: bowl · snap · jam · safe · capital · spell · cabinet · bound

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to click
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. capital — a city
  8. capital — money
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — magic
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. bound — obliged
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. spell — a short time
  19. bound — certain
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. bound — tied together

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