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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.

Make a worksheet

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: scale · safe · bat · cabinet · cap · bulb · bowl · court

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. court — for sport
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. scale — in music
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. scale — size or range
  12. court — of a king
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bat — the animal
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cap — a lid
  17. court — of law
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bulb — for light
  24. scale — for weighing

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