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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: safe · ball · chest · date · deal · cabinet · tube · stand

  1. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. deal — to handle
  4. tube — a container
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. ball — a great time
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. chest — a box
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. tube — the underground
  12. ball — a dance
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. chest — of your body
  16. date — the fruit
  17. chest — of your body
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. stand — to bear
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. safe — out of danger

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