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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: bat · cap · ball · staff · charge · mark · cell · safe

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. mark — a grade
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. staff — employees
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. ball — a great time
  10. cell — in biology
  11. ball — a dance
  12. charge — a price
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bat — the animal
  15. staff — employees
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cap — of ice
  20. charge — electricity
  21. staff — a stick
  22. mark — a trace
  23. charge — in control
  24. mark — to pay attention

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