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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: ball · content · bore · safe · cabinet · bulb · rash · club

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. rash — hasty
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. content — the amount
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. ball — a great time
  11. club — for dancing
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bulb — for light
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rash — a series
  17. club — a group
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. content — happy
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bore — to tire
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. club — for golf

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