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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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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: safe · cell · snap · club · fine · hide · fan · bowl

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. club — for dancing
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. cell — in biology
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. cell — a phone
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. club — a group
  18. snap — to click
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — high quality
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. fan — a supporter

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