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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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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: safe · bat · plane · cap · firm · present · bowl · craft

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. firm — decided
  3. bat — the animal
  4. present — the time now
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. cap — a lid
  8. cap — a hat
  9. present — a gift
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — a tool
  12. firm — a company
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — boats
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. firm — steady
  21. present — there
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. plane — an aircraft

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