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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: rock · roll · bat · lean · game · craft · racket · safe

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. lean — to bend
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. craft — a skill
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. craft — boats
  10. game — a match
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. game — wild animals
  14. bat — the animal
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. rock — music
  17. roll — a cake
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. lean — thin
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. rock — a stone

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