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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: bat · safe · cap · bound · craft · racket · bowl · mouse

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bat — the animal
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bound — obliged
  10. cap — a hat
  11. craft — boats
  12. craft — a skill
  13. cap — of ice
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. cap — a lid

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