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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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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: present · safe · cabinet · lean · mate · track · bear · capital

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. present — a gift
  3. track — a path
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. present — there
  6. mate — a friend
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. lean — to bend
  10. bear — the animal
  11. present — the time now
  12. capital — a city
  13. bear — the animal
  14. lean — thin
  15. track — a song
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. capital — money
  18. track — to keep track
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. mate — to breed
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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