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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.

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: scale · fine · bowl · game · firm · present · safe · fan

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. present — there
  3. firm — decided
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. fine — all right
  9. firm — steady
  10. game — wild animals
  11. present — a gift
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. present — the time now
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. scale — size or range
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. fine — high quality
  22. scale — in music
  23. game — a match
  24. firm — a company

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