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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.

Make a worksheet

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
YesNo
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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: game · mate · can · lash · lean · safe · ground · racket

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. ground — the earth
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. can — to be able to
  11. ground — crushed
  12. game — wild animals
  13. ground — a position
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. mate — a friend
  17. game — a match
  18. lean — thin
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. mate — to breed
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. lash — to lash out

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