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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: game · spring · craft · mate · perch · mouse · safe · cabinet

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. game — a match
  5. perch — the fish
  6. craft — boats
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mate — to breed
  12. mate — a partner
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. mate — a friend
  16. spring — the season
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. game — wild animals
  19. spring — a coil
  20. craft — a skill
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. spring — of water
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. mouse — for a computer

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