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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.

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: rush · swing · game · racket · safe · fan · mate · cap

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. game — wild animals
  11. game — a match
  12. mate — to breed
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. swing — to play on
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. mate — a partner
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cap — a lid
  19. rush — hurry
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. cap — a hat
  22. swing — in golf
  23. mate — a friend
  24. swing — music

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