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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
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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 · mouse · present · pound · wind · ball · can · field

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. can — a tin
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. present — a gift
  6. pound — a weight
  7. can — a tin
  8. present — the time now
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. field — a subject
  11. present — there
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. can — to be able to
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. wind — moving air
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. wind — moving air
  22. field — farmland
  23. field — for sport
  24. mouse — the animal

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