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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
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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 · date · wave · cabinet · capital · safe · tube · key

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. game — a match
  8. key — for a lock
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. tube — the underground
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. tube — a container
  15. key — in music
  16. date — the fruit
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. game — wild animals
  20. capital — a city
  21. capital — money
  22. key — the most important part
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. tube — in a tire

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