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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
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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: lie · scale · sharp · charge · ball · cabinet · kid · safe

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. scale — in music
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a dance
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. kid — to tease
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. charge — in control
  14. scale — size or range
  15. charge — electricity
  16. lie — to recline
  17. ball — a great time
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. charge — a price
  24. kid — child

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