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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 120 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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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: cap · kid · safe · mine · bowl · club · dip · mouse

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. kid — child
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mine — for digging
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. cap — of ice
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. club — for dancing
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. dip — to sink
  21. kid — to tease
  22. cap — a lid
  23. cap — a hat
  24. club — a group

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