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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: cabinet · cap · staff · shower · bowl · mouse · safe · roll

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. staff — a stick
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. roll — a list
  15. staff — employees
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. roll — a cake
  20. shower — rain
  21. shower — to wash
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a lid
  24. staff — employees

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