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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: mate · ball · swing · lean · safe · cabinet · mouse · drill

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a dance
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. mate — a friend
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. lean — thin
  10. mate — to breed
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. swing — in golf
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. lean — to bend
  15. mate — a partner
  16. swing — to play on
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. drill — a practice
  20. swing — music
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. ball — a great time
  23. drill — army training
  24. drill — the tool

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