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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 116 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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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: spell · racket · safe · cabinet · bulb · season · bat · dip

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. spell — magic
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. spell — letters
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. season — of the year
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. dip — to sink
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. spell — a short time
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. season — in sport
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bat — for baseball

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