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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: staff · safe · racket · bat · fine · key · cap · prune

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. staff — a stick
  4. bat — the animal
  5. cap — of ice
  6. staff — employees
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. staff — employees
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. key — for a lock
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. key — the most important part
  14. key — in music
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. prune — to trim
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. cap — a hat
  21. fine — high quality
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. prune — to trim
  24. safe — a strongbox

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