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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: straw · ball · leaves · cap · nail · wound · safe · chair

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. cap — of ice
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. ball — a great time
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. ball — a dance
  18. cap — a lid
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. wound — an injury
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. chair — a leader
  23. cap — a hat
  24. safe — out of danger

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