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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: game · cap · racket · coach · land · cabinet · safe · shower

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. game — a match
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — a hat
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. shower — rain
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. land — to come down
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. land — ground
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. game — wild animals
  21. shower — to wash
  22. land — a country
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. safe — out of danger

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